Eradication therapy with rabeprazole versus omeprazole in the treatment of active duodenal ulcer

Background: Rabeprazole has been demonstrated to be a potent antisecretory agent and has been shown to be clinically effective in the treatment of acid-related diseases. Aims: It was to determine the efficacy of rabeprazole at 20 and 40 mg in addition to amoxicillin and clari- thromycin in the treatment of active Helicobacter pylori-positive duodenal ulcers compared with omeprazole 40 mg. Patients and Methods: One hundred and twenty-seven patients were randomised into three treatment groups: 40 patients were treated with rabeprazole 40 mg daily, 42 patients with rabeprazole 20 mg daily and 45 patients with omeprazole 40 mg daily for 10 days. All patients received amoxicillin 1 g twice a day and clari- thromycin 500 mg twice a day for 5 days. All patients were re-assessed at least 4 weeks after the end of the treatment. Results: According to the intention-to-treat (ITT) protocol, ulcer healing was observed in 90% of patients in the rabeprazole 40 group, in 85.7% in the rabeprazole 20 group and in 93.3% in the omeprazole 40 group. We observed H. pylori eradication in 90% ITT in the rabeprazole 40 group, in 80.9% ITT in the rabeprazole 20 group and in 88.8% ITT in the omeprazole 40 group. Statistical analysis did not show significant differences among the three groups. Conclusions: A 10-day rabeprazole 20 mg regimen represents an efficacious and safe regimen for H. pylori eradication and ulcer healing. Copyright (C) 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel.