Loading...
The effectiveness of empiric treatment regimens for Helicobacter pylori infection is decreasing as antibiotic resistance to the organism increases. Recent data support the conclusion that selecting the best therapy will require knowledge of antibiotic resistance rates by geographic area (JW Gastroenterol Dec 14 2012).
To estimate antibiotic resistance rates in Europe, investigators analyzed bacterial cultures from the gastric biopsies of 2204 patients with untreated H. pylori infection that were prospectively collected between April 2008 and June 2009 in 18 countries. They then assessed whether resistance rates were associated with outpatient drug use between 2001 and 2008.
In adults, overall resistance rates were 17.5% for clarithromycin, 14…