Does omeprazole improve antimicrobial therapy directed towards gastric Campylobacter pylori in patients with antral gastritis? A pilot study.

This double-blind pilot study has been undertaken in order to investigate the effect of amoxicillin and pronounced suppression of gastric acid secretion on mucosal colonisation with Campylobacter pylori (CP). Twenty four CP-positive patients were included in the study and assigned to 14 days of treatment in either one of the following three therapy groups: Group 1: Omeprazole 40 mg o.m. + Amoxicillin 750 mg b.i.d (9 pat); Group 2: Omeprazole 40 mg o.m. (8 pat); Group 3: Amoxicillin 750 mg b.i.d (7 pat). Gastroscopy with biopsy for culture and histology was performed pre-entry, at cessation of therapy and four weeks later. In the group receiving omeprazole and amoxicillin in combination 5 out of 8 patients were negative for CP four weeks after stopping treatment, while in the amoxicillin and the omeprazole groups respectively one (1/7) and none (0/8) were negative. Except for one patient who was withdrawn because of severe diarrhoea, only minor adverse effects occurred.