January 19, 2017 – ACG guideline expands indications for H. pylori testing, treatment

The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) has released new guidelines for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in North America. Dr. William S. Chey, MD, FACG, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan Health System and colleagues wrote in an article published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology that significant advances have been made since the last guideline was published in 2007. According to Chey, the guidelines now expand testing for H. pylori to patients taking aspirin or NSAIDs, patients with unexplained iron deficiency anemia and patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. The guidelines also place more emphasis on the issue of antibiotic resistance, highlighting the importance of asking about previous antibiotic exposure, and transitioning to quadruple therapy as first-line treatment, instead of triple therapy. Finally, in terms of long-term solutions for reducing H. pylori infection, Dr. Chey and colleagues reported phase 3 results from a Chinese trial of an H. pylori vaccine, which “provided about 70% protection against H. pylori acquisition in children.”
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