Eradication of Helicobacter pylori abolishes 24-hour hypergastrinaemia: a prospective study in healthy subjects.
In a prospective study, eight young healthy subjects (five with an active H. pylori infection in the antral mucosa) were treated with a course of tripotassium dicitrato bismuthate, amoxycillin and metronidazole. The triple therapy eradicated infection when assessed 20-24 weeks later by antral biopsy (urease, histology, and 13C urea breath test [4 out of 5 subjects]). Twenty-four hour intragastric acidity and plasma gastrin concentration were measured before treatment, and 4-6 weeks and 20-24 weeks post-treatment. Treatment did not affect acidity in either the H. pylori-positive or H. pylori-negative groups, nor did it affect the plasma gastrin profile in the H. pylori-negative group. Eradication of H. pylori infection in five subjects caused a drop of the median integrated 24-hour plasma gastrin concentration from 558 pmol.h/L before treatment to 307 and 289 pmol.h/L at 4-6 and 20-24 weeks post-treatment, respectively. It is concluded that H. pylori infection is associated with 24-hour hypergastrinaemia, and that in apparently healthy subjects normal gastric physiology can be restored by eradication of the infection.
Prewett
E J
EJ
University Department of Medicine, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, UK.
Smith
J T
JT
Nwokolo
C U
CU
Hudson
M
M
Sawyerr
A M
AM
Pounder
R E
RE
D000328:Adult; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer; D005260:Female; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
D005755:Gastrins; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008795:Metronidazole; D000658:Amoxicillin; C002791:bismuth tripotassium dicitrate