Prospective multicentre study on antibiotic resistance of Helicobacter pylori strains obtained from children living in Europe

Aim: To prospectively assess the antibacterial resistance rate in
Helicobacter pylori strains obtained from symptomatic children in
Europe.Methods: During a 4-year period, 17 paediatric centres from
14 European countries reported prospectively on patients infected
with H pylori, for whom antibiotic susceptibility was
tested.Results: A total of 1233 patients were reported from
Northern (3%), Western (70%), Eastern (9%) and Southern Europe
(18%); 41% originated from outside Europe as indicated by mother's
birth-country; 13% were 11 years of age. Testing was carried out before the
first treatment (group A, n = 1037), and after treatment failure
(group B, n = 196). Overall resistance to clarithromycin was
detected in 24% (mean, A: 20%, B: 42%). The primary clarithromycin
resistance rate was higher in boys (odds ratio (OR) 1.58; 1.12 to
2.24, p = 0.01), in children 12 years
(OR 1.82, 1.10 to 3.03, p = 0.020) and in patients living in
Southern Europe compared with those living in Northern Europe (OR
2.25; 1.52 to 3.30, p