[Efficacy and safety of 14-day amoxicillin and furazolidone-based quadruple rescue regimen for eradication of Helicobacter pylori: a retrospective study].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, compliance and adverse effects of 14-day amoxicillin and furazolidone-based quadruple regimen as rescue treatment for Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) infection.

Methods: A total of 228 patients positive for H.pylori with previous failed treatment at least once were enrolled into this retrospective study. There were 71 males and 157 females, aged (50 ± 13) years. A 14-day quadruple regimen was administered along with furazolidone, amoxicillin and bismuth citrate in combination with proton pump inhibitors. Adverse effects were recorded at the end of treatment.H.pylori status was assessed by (13)C-urea breath test at 4 weeks after treatment.

Results: Among them, 206 patients completed treatment. The H.pylori eradication rates were 91.96% (206/224) and 90.35% (206/228) according to per-protocol (PP) and intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses respectively. Mild and moderate adverse effects such as dizziness, nausea and diarrhea occurred in 43 patients (18.86%). Four of them had to terminate their treatment due to rash, dizziness and headache respectively.

Conclusions: The 14-day quadruple therapy with furazolidone, amoxicillin, bismuth citrate and proton pump inhibitors may be an effective regimen for rescue treatment because of its relatively high eradication rate (>90%). The patients should be watched closely during the treatment since the adverse effects of this regimen happen frequently. Treatment is stopped in events of skin rash, fever or other serious adverse effects.Vitamins B1 and B6 can relieve some discomforts.