Background/Aims
Conventional second‐line, bismuth‐containing quadruple therapy is administered four times a day. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of twice a day administration compared to the four times a day therapy.
Methods
Medical records of consecutive patients with positive 13C‐urea breath tests (UBTs) after first‐line eradication were reviewed. From December 2018 to June 2019, 100 consecutive 13C‐UBT‐positive patients received tetracycline 1 g, metronidazole 750 mg, bismuth subcitrate 300 mg, and pantoprazole 20 mg twice a day for one week. The same number of consecutive13C‐UBT‐positive patients before December 2018 was included as controls. The control group received tetracycline 500 mg and bismuth subcitrate 300 mg four times a day, metronidazole 500 mg three times a day, and pantoprazole 20 mg twice a day for one week. Eradication was confirmed based on a 13C‐UBT performed in the 5th week after taking quadruple therapy.
Results
Ninety‐eight patients from the twice a day group and 99 patients from the four times a day group were analyzed. The eradication rate did not differ between the twice a day group (92/98, 93.9%) and the four times a day group (92/99, 92.9%). Adverse drug effects were found in 36 patients from the twice a day group and 50 patients from the four times a day group (P = .051). Abdominal pain, discomfort, and distention were more common with four times a day intake (13.1%) than with twice a day intake (4.1%; P = .024).
Conclusions
We determined for the first time that twice a day intake of bismuth‐containing quadruple therapy using 2 g/d of tetracycline, 1.5 g/d of metronidazole, and 600 mg/d of bismuth subcitrate for one week is effective and safe as the conventional four times a day therapy. Twice a day intake decreased abdominal pain, discomfort, and distention.