Background: REAP-HP study (Real-world practice and Expectation of Asia-Pacific physicians and patients in Helicobacter Pylori eradication) was the pioneer study investigating the expectation and preference of physicians across Asia-Pacific in H. pylori eradication in 2015. This study is the first follow-up study of REAP-HP in Taiwan.
Aims: (1) To investigate the preference in regimens for the first-line anti-H. pylori therapy of Taiwanese gastroenterologist in 2020, (2) To survey the factor that cause the most concern when prescribing anti-H. pylori regimens in clinical practice, and (3) to compare REAP-HP survey data in 2020 and those surveyed in 2015 regarding the abovementioned end-points.
Methods: A questionnaire for H. pylori eradication survey of physicians was distributed to the gastroenterologists who attended the Taiwan Digestive Disease Week 2020. Data of most commonly used first-line anti-H. pylori regimens and concerned factors when prescribing anti-H. pylori regimens between 2015 and 2020 were compared.
Results: A total of 258 physicians from different districts of Taiwan participated in the REAP-HP Survey in 2020. The top three most commonly used anti-H. pylori regimens in Taiwan in 2020 were 14-day standard triple therapy (36.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 30.9%-42.7%), 7-day standard triple therapy (17.8%; 95% CI: 13.1%-22.5%) and 14-day reverse hybrid therapy (14.7%; 95% CI: 10.4%-19.0%) respectively. The top two factors that cause the most concern during prescribing anti-H. pylori therapy were eradication rate (82.3%; 95% CI: 77.6%-87.0%) and side effect (10.4%; 95% CI: 6.7%-15.1%). In 2015, the top three most commonly used regimens in Taiwan were 7-day standard triple therapy (62%; 95% CI: 56.2%-67.8%), 14-day standard triple therapy (21%; 95% CI: 16.1%-25.9%) and 10-day sequential therapy (7%; 95% CI: 4%-10%). A remarkable difference of the most commonly used anti-H. pylori regimens between 2015 and 2020 existed (p < .001). The top two factors that cause the most concern during prescribing anti-H. pylori therapy in 2015 were eradication rate (84.1%) and side effect (7.0%). There were no differences in the factors that cause the most concern during prescribing anti-H. pylori regimens between 2015 and 2020.
Conclusion: 14-day standard triple therapy has replaced 7-day standard triple therapy as the most commonly used first-line anti-H. pylori therapy among Taiwanese gastroenterologists in 2020. 14-day reverse hybrid therapy is on rise to the third place as the most commonly used anti-H. pylori regimen in Taiwan.
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