ANKARA, Turkey—S. boulardii improved anti-H. pylori antibiotherapy-associated diarrhea, epigastric discomfort and treatment tolerability in patients receiving 14 days of triple therapy, according to researchers from Gazi University (Helicobacter 12 (4):309–316.DOI:10.1111/j.1523-5378.2007.00516.x). One hundred and twenty-four patients with H. pylori infection receiving clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily, amoxicillin 1,000 mg twice daily, and lansoprazole 30 mg twice daily were randomly assigned to a S. boulardii supplement or placebo. Dyspeptic symptoms were recorded using modified Glasgow Dyspepsia Questionnaire, and H. pylori status was rechecked six weeks after completion of eradication therapy.
H. pylori
eradication rate, although higher in the treatment group, was statistically similar in treatment and control groups: 71 percent versus 59.7 percent, respectively. Nine patients in the treatment group and 19 patients in the placebo group experienced diarrhea. Epigastric discomfort was more frequent in the control group, while diffuse abdominal pain, abdominal gas, taste disturbance, urticaria and nausea symptoms were similar in both groups. In addition to these positive effects on H. pylori eradication, S. boulardii supplementation decreased post-treatment dyspepsia symptoms independent of H. pylori status but had no significant effect on rate of H. pylori eradication.
Email this article
Add a comment
Printer version
Order reprints
RSS Feed
Bookmark article