Delay in Retreatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection Increases Risk of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Background & Aims Little is known about risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in patients failed by Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy. We investigated the effects different time until retreatment, after failure initial H therapy, on subsequent UGIB. Methods performed a territory-wide retrospective cohort study 70,518 with infection who had received their first course clarithromycin-based triple therapy from January 2003 through December 2012 Hong Kong. Patients required retreatment (n = 8330, 11.8%) were categorized based between and final (3 months or less, 3–12 months, more than 12 months). collected clinical data 30 days prescription last hospitalization for non-variceal UGIB, death, end (30 Jun 2016; median follow-up time, 7.65 years). The primary outcome was difference development UGIB (determined ICD-9 codes) those did not (reference group). Results Compared reference group, an overall higher even (adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.50, 95% CI, 1.34–1.69). There progressive increase longer therapy: less 3 1.16; 0.88–1.54, 1.35; 1.07–1.69, 1.68; 1.46–1.94 (P trend .038). Conclusion In Kong, we found that have increased compared to responded Risk progressively retreatment. Early within should be considered minimize risk.