Background: The evidence on whether high-dose proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) increase cure rates of Helicobacter pylori treatment has not been previously assessed.
Aim: To evaluate the evidence on the usefulness of high-dose PPI in standard triple therapy by performing a systematic review and a meta-analysis.
Methods: A systematic search was performed in multiple databases and in the abstracts submitted to the Digestive Diseases Week, the European Helicobacter Study Group congress and the United European Gastroenterology Week. Randomized trials comparing a standard dose of a PPI with high-dose PPI both twice a day in triple therapy combining a PPI plus clarithromycin and either amoxicillin or metronidazole were selected. Relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for all comparisons were calculated using Review Manager.
Results: Six studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All used triple therapy for 7 days. A mean intention-to-treat cure rate of 82% was achieved with high-dose PPI and one of 74% with standard dose (RR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.01-1.17). Subgroup analysis showed that the maximum increase was observed when the PPI compared were omeprazole 20 mg or pantoprazole 40 mg vs. esomeprazole 40 mg.
Conclusion: High-dose PPI seems more effective than standard-dose for curing H. pylori infection in 7-day triple therapy.