First-line eradication of H pylori infection in Europe: A meta-analysis based on congress abstracts, 1997-2004

Table 5 Results of the direct comparative trials of different antibiotic combinations on the eradication of H pylori in European countries

Antibioticcombination	Cases (n)	Studies (n)	Treatmentarms (n)	PER %	95% CI	P1	References	Antibioticcombination
PPI + C + A vs	2155	18	22	80.8	76.8-84.8	0.61	1.0 (0.90-1.20)	14,17,21,23,32-35,41,48,
PPI + C + N	2389	18	22	80.1	75.0-85.1			68, 69,71-74,78
PPI + C + A vs	1172	10	12	81.5	77.7-85.3	0.000 < 0.05	1.78 (1.46-2.16)	26,29,44,54-56,68,69,
PPI + A + N	1184	10	13	71.9	65.8-77.9			73,79
PPI + C + N vs	476	5	5	70.9	56.3-85.4	0.96	0.99 (0.77-1.29)	41,54,68,69,74
PPI + A + N	592	5	5	70.6	61.3-80.0
RBC + C + A vs	122	2	3	82.4	73.6-91.1	0.90	1.03 (0.61-1.75)	13,30
RBC + C + N	166	2	2	80.9	72.4-89.4

Test of homogeneity: PPI + C + A vs PPI + C + N, χ² = 0.01, P = 0.92; PPI + C + A vs PPI + A + N, χ² = 3.26, P = 0.07; PPI + C + N/PPI + A + N, χ² = 0.01, P = 0.99; RBC + C + A/RBC + C + N, χ² = 2.58, P = 0.11. PPI: proton pump inhibitors, A: amoxicillin; C: clarithromycin; N: nitroimidazoles; RBC: ranitidine bismuth citrate.