In other journals

In Hong Kong, a randomised controlled trial found that treatment for H. pylori significantly reduced the risk of ulcers, for patients starting long term NSAID treatment. The study recruited patients without prior NSAID treatment, who had a positive urea breath test for H. pylori, and moderate dyspepsia or a history of confirmed peptic ulcer. Fifty-one patients received amoxycillin 1 g and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily for a week, while 49 controls had identical placebos. All patients also received omeprazole 20 mg twice daily for a week and diclofenac sustained release 100 mg daily for six months, followed by endoscopy. Confirmed ulcers were present in 5 of 51 patients in the eradication group and 15 of 49 patients in the control group (6-month probability of ulcers, 12.1% [95% CI, 3.1–21.1] v 34.4% [95% CI 21.1–47.7]).