ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of vonoprazan, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker, as a component of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy.DesignA randomised, double-blind, multicentre, parallel-group study was conducted to verify the non-inferiority of vonoprazan 20 mg to lansoprazole 30 mg as part of first-line triple therapy (with amoxicillin 750 mg and clarithromycin 200 or 400 mg) in H pylori-positive patients with gastric or duodenal ulcer history. The first 50 patients failing first-line therapy with good compliance also received second-line vonoprazan-based triple therapy (with amoxicillin 750 mg and metronidazole 250 mg) as an open-label treatment.ResultsOf the 650 subjects randomly allocated to either first-line triple therapy, 641 subjects completed first-line therapy and 50 subjects completed second-line therapy. The first-line eradication rate (primary end point) was 92.6% (95% CI 89.2% to 95.2%) with vonoprazan versus 75.9% (95% CI 70.9% to 80.5%) with lansoprazole, with the difference being 16.7% (95% CI 11.2% to 22.1%) in favour of vonoprazan, thus confirming the non-inferiority of vonoprazan (p<0.0001). The second-line eradication rate (secondary end point) was also high (98.0%; 95% CI 89.4% to 99.9%) in those who received second-line therapy (n=50). Both first-line triple therapies were well tolerated with no notable differences. Second-line triple therapy was also well tolerated.ConclusionVonoprazan is effective as part of first-line triple therapy and as part of second-line triple therapy in H pylori-positive patients with a history of gastric or duodenal ulcer.Trial registration numberNCT01505127.

Guidelines for gastroenterological endoscopy in patients undergoing antithrombotic treatment have been produced by the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society in collaboration with the Japan Circulation Society, the Japanese Society of Neurology, the Japan Stroke Society, the Japanese Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis and the Japan Diabetes Society. Previous guidelines from the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society have focused primarily on prevention of hemorrhage after gastroenterological endoscopy as a result of continuation ofantithrombotic therapy, without considering the associated risk of thrombosis. The new edition of the guidelines includes discussions of gastroenterological hemorrhage associated with continuation of antithrombotic therapy, as well as thromboembolism associated with withdrawal of antithrombotic therapy.

Background Since “Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection” was set as the indication in the Japanese Society for Helicobacter Research (JSHR) Guidelines 2009, eradication treatment for H. pylori gastritis is covered under insurance since 2013 in Japan, and the number of H. pylori eradication has rapidly increased. Under such circumstances, JSHR has made the third revision to the “Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori infection” for the first time in 7 years. Methods The Guideline Committee held 10 meetings. Articles published between the establishment of the 2009 Guidelines and March 2016 were reviewed and classified according to the evidence level; the statements were revised on the basis of this review. After inviting public comments, the revised statements were finalized using the Delphi method. Results There was no change in the basic policy that H. pylori infectious disease is an indication for eradication. Other diseases presumed to be associated with H. pylori infection were added as indications. Serum pepsinogen level, endoscopic examination, and X‐ray examination were added to the diagnostic methods. The effects of 1‐week triple therapy consisting of potassium‐competitive acid blocker (P‐CAB), amoxicillin, and clarithromycin have improved, and high eradication rates can also be expected with proton pump inhibitors (PPI) or P‐CAB combined with amoxicillin and metronidazole. If the susceptibility test is not performed, the triple PPI or P‐CAB/amoxicillin/metronidazole therapy should be chosen, because the PPI/amoxicillin/metronidazole combination demonstrated a significantly higher eradication rate than PPI/amoxicillin/clarithromycin. In the proposal for gastric cancer prevention, we divided gastric cancer prevention measures by age from adolescent to elderly, who are at an increased gastric cancer risk, and presented measures for gastric cancer prevention primarily based on H. pylori eradication. Conclusion We expect the revised guidelines to facilitate appropriate interventions for patients with H. pylori infection and accomplish its eradication and prevention of gastric cancer.

The revised Japanese guidelines for H. pylori are based on scientific evidence and avoid the administrative restraints that applied to earlier versions.

In 2012, the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society published "Guidelines for Gastroenterological Endoscopy in Patients Undergoing Antithrombotic Treatment" concerning thromboembolism associated with antithrombotic therapy withdrawal. Since then, physicians have started prescribing oral anticoagulants, creating a need for standards reflecting their use in clinical practice. Therefore, new findings regarding anticoagulants are included in this appendix. However, the evidence levels are low for many statements contained herein and these appended guidelines still need to be verified in clinical settings.