INTRODUCTIONModern eradication treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection requires simple, well tolerated and highly effective therapeutic regimens. These requirements seem at present to be met only by the modern triple therapy, consisting of a proton pump inhibitor in combination with two antiobiotics. 1±4 Per protocol eradication rates have generally been over 90% and acceptable tolerability has been described for both the 14 day standard regimen and the 7-day shortterm therapy. 5±10 The 7-day short-term treatment offers the advantages of fewer side-effects and possibly better compliance, at comparable therapeutic effectiveness. At present, there is much support for the Italian short-term triple therapy with omeprazole (20 mg b.d.) in combination with clarithromycin (250 mg b.d.) and metronidazole or tinidazole (500 mg b.d.). 2,4 Whether the choice of proton pump inhibitor is of importance for the success of bacterial eradication is currently being investigated in several studies.There is a paucity of data regarding the effectiveness of pantoprazole in the triple therapy regimen. 11 Preliminary data suggest that pantoprazole may be substituted for omeprazole without sacri®cing therapeutic ef®c-