Evaluation of diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori after therapy with lansoprazole and clarithromycin

Abstract

We evaluated serum pepsinogen I (PG I) and II (PG II) assay, and ¹³C-Urea breath test (¹³C-UBT) in a diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori (HP) after teatment with lansoprazole and clarithromycin. Forty two patients included 10 gastric ulcer, 7 duodenal ulcer, 8 gastroduodenal ulcer and 17 chronic gastritis, treated with 30mg of lansoprazole and 600mg of clarithromycin in a day for 14 days.
Serum PG I and PG II levels reduced and PG I/II ratio increased in effective cases after therapy significantly. There were not refractory cases in range of more than 31% of reduction rate of PG I, 41% of PG II and 161% of increasing rate of PG I/II ratio. However, 1/3 of effective cases did not demonstrate so much change in PG I and PG II levels. ¹³C-UBT of effective cases reduced within normal range of Δ¹³C after therapy. Δ¹³C of refractory cases did not decrease into normal range.
Although measurement of serum PG I and PG II was not adequate in a diagnosis of HP after therapy, ¹³C-UBT examination is not risky and can be useful in observing the eradication of HP.