Doxycycline in Eradication Therapy of Helicobacter pylori--a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Since resistance of Helicobacter pylori is developing very fast all over the world, new treatment regimens for eradication are urgently needed.

Aim: To compare eradication success rate of H. pylori treatment regimens with and without doxycycline.

Methods: English medical literature searches were conducted for regimens including doxycycline for eradication of H. pylori. Searches were performed up to August 31, 2015, using MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and CENTRAL. Meta-analysis was performed by using comprehensive meta-analysis software. Pooled ORs and 95% CIs were calculated comparing treatment regimens for eradication of H. pylori Infection with and without doxycycline.

Results: The OR for eradication success rate in a fixed model was in favor for treatment regimens with doxycycline: 1.292, 95% CI 1.048-1.594, p = 0.016. There was no significant heterogeneity in the included studies: Q = 15.130, d.f. (Q) = 8, I2 = 47.126, p > 0.10. When treatment regimens with doxycycline were compared only with treatment regimens with Tetracycline, no significant difference was found in eradication success rate: OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.68-1.32, p = 0.77. But when treatment regimens with doxycycline were compared with treatment regimens without Tetracycline, the OR in favor of doxycycline was even higher: OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.21-2.09, p < 0.001.

Conclusion: In this meta-analysis, we confirmed doxycycline efficiency in the eradication of H. pylori. Thus, triple, quadruple or even high dose dual therapy with regimens containing doxycycline should be considered.