A randomized openly comparative study between rifaximin suspension versus rifaximin pills for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori.

BACKGROUND It has been recently shown that Rifaximin, although given as a suspension, plus omeprazole, may be a promising antibiotic against Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) and worthy of further study. AIM We have therefore evaluated Rifaximin suspension versus Rifaximin pills, in a randomly openly allocated fashion study, in H pylori positive patients. METHODS Twenty patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms (M/F: 13/7, age range 28-68; mean 49.6 yrs) were found to have H. pylori associated gastritis. They were allocated in an open randomized study to two different treatment groups for two weeks: (A) Rifaximin suspension 1800 mg three times a day plus Omeprazole 20 mg twice a day (n = 10), (B): Rifaximin pills 1800 mg three times a day plus Omeprazole twice a day (n = 10). Symptoms such as pirosis, bloating, epigastric pain and nausea were recorded by diary card and were evaluated before and four weeks after stopping treatment. Patients were assessed by endoscopy, histology and urease testing at entry and four weeks after stopping treatments. All the twenty patients were available four weeks after stopping treatment. RESULTS A statistically significant improvement of the symptoms were found overall after Rifaximin treatments for pirosis, bloating, epigastric pain (p < 0.001 respectively). A significant difference in the symptom's score at the end of the two treatments were recorded between the two groups for bloating alone (p < 0.070). A different and major fall in the neutrophils, between the two treatments was observed with Rifaximin pills compared to Rifaximin suspension. The same observation was obtained according to the intensity of H. pylori reaching an eradication rate of 40% and 60% for Rifaximin suspension versus Rifaximin pills plus omeprazole respectively. In conclusion, these data suggest that Rifaximin pills may be an effective antibiotic against H pylori and worthy of further study.