Brief Reports
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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 21, 2005; 11(11): 1629-1633
Published online Mar 21, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i11.1629
Sofalcone, a mucoprotective agent, increases the cure rate of Helicobacter pylori infection when combined with rabeprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin
Hajime Isomoto, Hisashi Furusu, Ken Ohnita, Chun-Yang Wen, Kenichiro Inoue, Shigeru Kohno
Hajime Isomoto, Hisashi Furusu, Ken Ohnita, Shigeru Kohno, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Sakamoto 1-7-1, Nagasaki, Japan
Chun-Yang Wen, Department of Molecular Pathology, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Sakamoto 12-4, Nagasaki, Japan
Chun-Yang Wen, Department of Digestive Disease, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China
Hajime Isomoto, Kenichiro Inoue, Shunkaikai Inoue Hospital, Takaramachi 8-9, Nagasaki, Japan
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Hajime Isomoto, Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Jackson 706, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA. hajimei2002@yahoo.co.jp
Telephone: +1-617-7248977 Fax: +1-617-7262373
Received: August 14, 2004
Revised: August 15, 2004
Accepted: November 23, 2004
Published online: March 21, 2005
Abstract

AIM: The mucoprotective agents, sofalcone and polaprezinc have anti-Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) activities. We determined the therapeutic effects of sofalcone and polaprezinc when combined with rabeprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin for Helicobacter pylori infection.

METHODS: One hundred and sixty-five consecutive outpatients with peptic ulcer and H pylori infection were randomly assigned to one of the following three groups and medicated for 7 d. Group A: triple therapy with rabeprazole (10 mg twice daily), clarithromycin (200 mg twice daily) and amoxicillin (750 mg twice daily). Group B: sofalcone (100 mg thrice daily) plus the triple therapy. Group C: polaprezinc (150 mg twice daily) plus the triple therapy. Eradication was considered successful if 13C-urea breath test was negative at least 4 wk after cessation of eradication regimens or successive famotidine in the cases of active peptic ulcer.

RESULTS: On intention-to-treat basis, H pylori cure was achieved in 43 of 55 (78.2%) patients, 47 of 54 (87.0%) and 45 of 56 (80.4%) for the groups A, B and C respectively. Using per protocol analysis, the eradication rates were 81.1% (43/53), 94.0% (47/50) and 84.9% (45/53) respectively. There was a significant difference in the cure rates between group A and B. Adverse events occurred in 10, 12 and 11 patients, from groups A, B and C respectively, but the events were generally mild.

CONCLUSION: The addition of sofalcone, but not polaprezinc, significantly increased the cure rate of H pylori infection when combined with the rabeprazole-amoxicillin-clarithromycin regimen.

Keywords: Helicobacter pylori; Sofalcone; Mucoprotective agents