Review for 10.1186/s12876-020-01370-4 (2020)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Rescue therapy with ri fabutin regimen for refractory Helicoba cter pylori infection with 
dual drug-resistant strains  
 
Version: 0 Date: 19 Jun 2020  
 
Reviewer: Christophe Burucoa  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors propose a monocentric, prospective and observational study reporting the 
eradication rate and the side effects of a rescue treatment with rifabutin amoxicillin and 
esomeprazole  10 days in 39 Taiwanese patients infected with a strain resistant to clarithromycin 
and levofloxacin. The article is well written and the work does not suffer from methodological 
problems. The authors report an eradication rate of 79.5% close to those alr eady published in 5 
studies.  
 
Despite the lack of originality, this  manuscript contributes by its data to a better evaluation of 
the therapeutic possibilities for patients with therapeutic failure infected with a dual -resistant 
strain. This phenomenon is s till rare, which partly explains the low number of patients included. 
A larger, multicenter study comparing this treatment with a bismuth quadritherapy, for example, 
in a randomized trial will be much more helpful.  
 
Confidence intervals for the eradication rate should be indicated for this small -scale study  
 
References 18 and 20 should be cited or discussed in the discussion  
 
If antibiograms were carried out on the strains which resisted the treatment in the 8 patients in 
therapeutic failure, it would be inter esting to present their results for rifabutin in particular.  
 
Tables 1, 2 and 3 are not very interesting and can be removed  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well  described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
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