Brief report: Lactobacillus bulgaricus GLB44 (Proviotic ) plus esomeprazole for Helicobacter pylori eradication: A pilot study.

Background: Recent studies of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus GLB44 plus a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) reported cures of more than 90% of patients with active Helicobacter pylori infections.

Aim: To confirm the high H. pylori cure rates reported previously.

Method: A pilot study was done in healthy H. pylori-infected volunteers using 3-gram sachet (3 billion cells) of L. delbrueckii GLB44 plus 22.3 mg of esomeprazole b.i.d., for 14 days. The result was determined by urea breath testing 4 weeks after therapy. Stopping rules required for ending enrollment if less than 3 of the first 10 subjects were cured.

Results: Nine subjects were entered and because all failed to achieve negative urea breath test, the stopping rule required the study to end.

Conclusion: We were unable to confirm reports of achieving a high H. pylori cure rate with L. delbrueckii GLB44 plus a PPI.