Antimicrobial susceptibility testing before first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with dual or triple antibiotic resistance

AIM To evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial susceptibilityguided therapy before first-line treatment for infection in patients with dual or triple antibiotic resistance.METHODS A total of 1034 patients infected by Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) during 2013-2014 were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. 157 of 1034(15%) patients showed resistance to two(127/1034; 12%) and to three(30/1034; 3%) antibiotics. Sixty-eight patients with dual H. pylori-resistance(clarithromycin, metronidazole or levofloxacin) were treated for 10 d with triple therapies: OAL(omeprazole 20 mg b.i.d., amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d., and levofloxacin 500 mg b.i.d.) 43cases, OAM(omeprazole 20 mg b.i.d., amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d., and metronidazole 500 mg b.i.d.) 12 cases and OAC(omeprazole 20 mg b.id., amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d., and clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d.) 13 cases based on the antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Twelve patients showed triple H. pylori-resistance(clarithromycin, metronidazole and levofloxacin) and received for 10 d triple therapy with OAR(omeprazole 20 mg b.id., amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d., and rifabutin 150 mg b.i.d.). Eradication was confirmed by 13C-urea breath test. Adverse effects and compliance were assessed by a questionnaire. RESULTS Intention-to-treat eradication rates were: OAL(97.6%), OAM(91.6%), OAC(92.3%) and OAR(58.3%). Cure rate was significantly higher in na?ve patients treated with OAR-10 compared to patients who had two or three previous treatment failures(83% vs 33%). Adverse events rates for OAL, OAM, OAC and OAR were 22%, 25%, 23% and 17%, respectively, all of them mild-moderate. CONCLUSION Antimicrobial susceptibility-guided triple therapies during 10 d for first-line treatment leads to an eradication rate superior to 90% in patients with dual antibiotic H. pylori resistance.