Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium with a high prevalence and has been associated with malignancy that its effective eradication without medical complications is challenging. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the four-drug regimen with furazolidone and the three-drug regimen with levofloxacin in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with indigestion.
This study was performed on 96 patients (48 in the furazolidone-based four-drug regimen group and 48 in the levofloxacin-based three-drug regimen group). The rate of bacterial colonization after treatment was calculated in two groups. Chi-square and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze the data.
There was no significant difference between the four-drug diet based on furazolidone and the three-drug diet based on levofloxacin as a result of treatment, drug compliance and complications (except nausea) between the two treatment groups. Findings of our study showed that the frequency of postoperative nausea in the four-drug diet group based on furazolidone was significantly higher than the three-drug diet group based on levofloxacin (41.7% vs. 20.8%).
Considering the similar therapeutic effects of both treatment regimens, it seems that levofloxacin-based three-drug regimen with less side effects is preferable to four-drug regimen, although more studies with higher sample size and evaluation of required antibiogram results. To achieve more accurate results.