["Pilot study: sequential therapy in erradicating Helicobacter pylori in the Cayetano Heredia Hospital"].

Background: Sequential therapy is used as an alternative to growing antibiotic resistance of Helicobacter pylori to the standard triple therapy. Despite the success it had in Europe, we have no information regarding this therapy in our region.

Objectives: To evaluate the eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori using sequential therapy and show its adverse effects.

Methods: We performed a prospective, observational, open descriptive study. 31 patients were evaluated who were treated with sequential therapy in the following way: the first 5 days omeprazole 20 mg and amoxicillin 1 g every 12 hours and following 5 days omeprazole 20 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg and tinidazole 500 mg every 12 hours. After four weeks of treatment, each patient had a C13 urea breath test to check for eradication.

Results: 31 patients were included, one patient was excluded from the protocol due to adverse drug react to amoxicillin. Of the remaining 30 patients who completed treatment, 22 (73%) were negative to breath test and 8 (27%) were positive. Of the patients who completed treatment, 10 had minor adverse events to treatment, the main symptoms were epigastralgia and nausea.

Conclusions: Sequential therapy had an eradication rate of 73% which is much lower than that reported in European studies. However, therapy is easily accesible with lower cost and fewer side effects tan standard therapy.