BACKGROUND

Triple therapy with a proton-pump inhibitor and two antibiotics is widely used in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in adults. Experience with such therapy in the pediatric population is limited. This was a prospective, nonrandomized, open-label trial to evaluate safety and efficacy of a combination of lansoprazole, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin in symptomatic children with H. pylori infection.

METHODS

Children with H. pylori gastritis diagnosed by endoscopy performed for persistent nausea, vomiting, recurrent abdominal pain, and diarrhea with consistent histology were treated with the regimen of 0.45 mg/kg per day lansoprazole divided into two doses (maximum dose, 15 mg twice daily), amoxicillin 40 mg/kg per day in two doses (maximum dose, 1.0 g twice daily), and 250 mg clarithromycin twice daily (<10 years old) or 500 mg twice daily (>10 years old) for 2 weeks. Pre- and posttreatment endoscopic biopsy specimens were graded for the severity of gastritis and H. pylori density by a blinded pathologist. A questionnaire for assessing the severity of symptoms at the time of initial and second endoscopy were completed by patient and/or parent.

RESULTS

Thirty-two children (age range, 1-25 years; mean age, 11 years; 19 females, 13 males) were treated with this regimen during an 18-month period. H. pylori organisms with varying grades of gastritis were present in tissue specimens of all patients. Only 28 children had follow-up endoscopy, which showed eradication of H. pylori in 15 (54%) children. Histologic symptoms of gastritis improved after therapy in the whole group. Overall, symptoms of vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, anorexia, and halitosis significantly improved (P < 0.05). Minor adverse effects of therapy occurred in 25% of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Symptoms, histologic, and endoscopic findings improved after triple therapy in children with H. pylori gastritis; however, eradication of bacteria was achieved in only 56% of children.