Efficacy of a 2-week therapy with levofloxacin concomitant versus a levofloxacin sequential regimen for Helicobacter pylori infection in the Syrian population: a study protocol for randomized controlled trial

BackgroundTreating Helicobacter pylori is becoming increasingly difficult with the development of bacterial resistance to many established treatment regimens. As a result, researchers are constantly looking for novel and effective treatments. This trial aims to establish the efficacy of levofloxacin-based sequential treatment regimen and concomitant levofloxacin-based regimen as empirical first-line therapy in the Syrian population.MethodThis is an open-label, prospective, single-center, parallel, active-controlled, superiority, randomized clinical trial. The recruitment will target Helicobacter pylori-positive males and females between the ages of 18 and 65 to evaluate the efficacy of empirical first-line therapy in the Syrian population. We are planning to recruit up to 300 patients which is twice the required sample size. One hundred fifty individuals will be randomly assigned to undergo either a sequential levofloxacin-based treatment regimen or a concomitant levofloxacin-based regimen. High-dose dual therapy (proton-pump inhibitor and amoxicillin) will be the rescue therapy in the event of first-line failure. The first-line eradication rate in both groups is the primary outcome, and one of the secondary outcomes is the overall eradication rate of high-dose dual therapy in the event of first-line treatment protocol failure. Intention-to-treat analysis and per-protocol analysis will be used to evaluate the eradication rates of Helicobacter pylori for first-line treatment protocols.DiscussionFor the first time in the Syrian population, this randomized controlled trial will provide objective and accurate evidence about the efficacy of a sequential levofloxacin-based treatment regimen.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06065267. Registered on October 3, 2023. Prospective registered. Enrollment of the first participant has not started yet.