Smoking and drinking habits are important predictors of Helicobacter pylori eradication.

Author(s): Namiot DB, Leszczynska K, Namiot Z, Kurylonek AJ, Kemona A

Affiliation(s): Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Medical University of Bialystok, and Department of Medicine and Gastroenterology, District Hospital, Bialystok, Poland.

Publication date & source: 2008, Adv Med Sci., 53(2):310-5.

Publication type: Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of smoking and drinking habits, in separate and joint analyses, on the efficacy of H. pylori eradication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 250 patients were recruited. They were treated with a 7-day course of omeprazole, amoxicillin, tinidazole (OAT), omeprazole amoxicillin, clarithromycin (OAC) or omeprazole, clarithromycin, tinidazole (OCT). The efficacy of H. pylori eradication was tested with a CLO-test and histology 4 weeks after the completion of antibacterial therapy. RESULTS: Drinking was found not to affect the efficacy of H. pylori eradication in any therapeutic group, while smoking decreased it in the OAC group (smokers 69.6%, non-smokers 94.3%, p=0.006). In the OAT treated group H. pylori eradication rate was lower in smokers-non-drinkers than in smokers-drinkers and non-smokers-non-drinkers (38.9% vs 83.2% and 70.0%, p=0.002 and p=0.034, respectively), while in the OAC treated group, smokers-non-drinkers had lower eradication efficacy than non-smokers-drinkers and non-smokers-non-drinkers (59.1% vs 100% and 91.3%, p=0.01 and p=0.012, respectively). In the OCT treated group, differences between subgroups were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking and drinking habits when analyzed jointly are more useful to predict the outcome of H. pylori eradication than when analyzed separately.