Abstract:
Objective: According to current guidelines, H. pylori eradication is the first-line treatment for infected
patients with dyspeptic symptoms and should be initiated by primary care physicians. However, growing resistance to previously effective antibiotics is a concern, requiring careful therapy selection and
revised strategies. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of family doctors in the Vinnytsia region,
Ukraine, regarding current treatment recommendations.
Patients and Methods: We surveyed 132 primary care physicians from medical institutions in the Vinnytsia
region, Ukraine, regarding aspects of Helicobacter pylori treatment in patients with dyspeptic complaints.
Results: When choosing eradication regimens for H. pylori, 43.9% of physicians selected first-line regimens consistent with current recommendations (for Ukraine, a country with unknown clarithromycin
resistance level, these include bismuth-based quadruple therapy, non-bismuth quadruple therapy, and
bismuth-based quadruple therapy with amoxicillin and clarithromycin). 40% of respondents selected
only non-recommended regimens, while 14.4% chose both appropriate and inappropriate regimens.
During eradication therapy, 52.3% preferred pantoprazole, 17.4% rabeprazole, 12.9% esomeprazole,
9.8% omeprazole, 1.5% lansoprazole, and 6.1% had no specific preference for a proton pump inhibitor
(PPI). Probiotics were prescribed by 55.3% of the respondents: among them, 49.3% preferred lactobacillus and bifidobacterium combinations, 30.1% used a combination of lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, and
S. boulardii, while 20.6% prescribed S. boulardii alone.
38th International Workshop of the European Helicobacter and Microbiota Study Group
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Conclusions: Our study revealed insufficient adherence (only 43.9%) to current guidelines among physicians when selecting H. pylori eradication regimens. Notably, over half (55.3%) used probiotics, consistent with Maastricht VI/Florence consensus recommendations supporting their use as potentially
beneficial.
