A Cochrane review 4 (abstract , review [Abstract]) included 55 studies with 7 179 subjects. In duodenal ulcer healing, eradication therapy was superior to ulcer healing drug (UHD) (34 trials, 3910 patients, relative risk of ulcer persisting = 0.66; 95% CI 0.58, 0.76) and no treatment (2 trials, 207 patients, RR = 0.37; 95% CI 0.26, 0.53). In gastric ulcer healing, no significant differences were detected between eradication therapy and UHD (15 trials, 1 974 patients, RR = 1.23; 95% CI = 0.90, 1.68). In preventing duodenal ulcer recurrence no significant differences were detected between eradication therapy and maintenance therapy with UHD (4 trials, 319 patients, RR of ulcer recurring = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.42, 1.25), but eradication therapy was superior to no treatment (27 trials 2509 patients, RR = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.15, 0.26). In preventing gastric ulcer recurrence, eradication therapy was superior to no treatment (12 trials, 1 476 patients, RR = 0.31; 95% CI 0.22, 0.45).
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