Efficacy of a 14-Day Bismuth-Containing Quadruple Therapy Guided by Drug Susceptibility Testing in Patients with Extremely Refractory Helicobacter Pylori Infection: an Exploratory Study

Overview

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, a prevalent global infectious disease, is a significant contributor to gastric cancer and other morbidities, imposing a substantial disease burden. With the rise in antibiotic resistance, the eradication of H. pylori is encountering formidable challenges. A subset of individuals, despite undergoing multiple treatment regimens, remain unable to successfully eradicate the infection. The persistence of infection in these cases could be attributed to either the limitations of detection methods leading to false positives or to the infection by superbugs that are highly resistant to antibiotics. This study is designed to ascertain whether these patients are infected with superbugs by employing various diagnostic techniques. Additionally, it aims to assess the antibiotic resistance profiles of strains associated with extremely refractory H. pylori infections through drug susceptibility testing. Based on the identified sensitivities, the study seeks to tailor treatment protocols with bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (Containing two kinds of antibiotics: sensitive antibiotic, rifabutin or high-dose metronidazole), to explore novel therapeutic strategies for patients with highly resistant H. pylori infections.

The study enrolled patients with extremely refractory Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, identified in the outpatient department. Following enrollment, a comprehensive diagnostic approach was employed to ascertain the presence of H. pylori infection and to rule out false positives. Patients who test truly positive for H. pylori should undergo eradication therapy, avoiding any previously administered regimens. For those with unsuccessful culture attempts, a bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (vonoprazan + bismuth + amoxicillin + rifabutin) is recommended as an exploratory approach. Patients with successful cultures should undergo drug susceptibility testing to identify antibiotic resistance patterns of the H. pylori strain. Based on these results, a 14-day course of bismuth-containing quadruple eradication therapy is prescribed. Patients with strains that demonstrate sensitivity to both amoxicillin and rifabutin are assigned to the bismuth-containing quadruple therapy group (vonoprazan + bismuth + amoxicillin + rifabutin). For other patients, two non-resistant antibiotics are selected based on drug susceptibility test outcomes. If a patient shows sensitivity to only one antibiotic, a combination of that sensitive antibiotic with high-dose metronidazole is administered. After eradication treatment, 13C urea breath test and fecal antigen detection were re-examined 4 weeks after drug withdrawal.