title: Epidemiology and treatment of gastric Campylobacter pylori infection: more questions than answers.
abstract: Two-hundred and ten consecutive patients undergoing routine gastroscopy were additionally investigated for evidence of Campylobacter pylori (C.p.). 106 patients were positive in one or more tests: 99.1% using a rapid urease detecting test (CLO-test), 80.2% histology, 78.3% cytology and 60% culture. We found no difference between the CLO-test results from biopsies taken from different parts of the stomach in individual patients. C.p. was found in 100% of patients with significant chronic antral gastritis, 67.7% with gastric ulcers, 65% with duodenal ulcers and in 12.1% of normal individuals. The C.p. infection was apparently eliminated in 50% of cases treated with bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) for four weeks. The combination of BSS with amoxicillin, tinidazole or an H2-receptor antagonist offered no advantage over BSS alone. Treatment with BSS led to improvement in symptoms and histological findings including healing of ulcers in patients with or without persistent C.p. infection. The recurrence of C.p. infection after apparently successful treatment was, however, 75% in 4 weeks. In conclusion, C.p. infection correlates strongly with the presence of chronic gastritis, and significantly with gastric and duodenal ulceration. The best diagnostic approach is the combination of a rapid urease detecting test and histology. C.p. infection is of long duration and difficult to eliminate. The most effective treatment for C.p. infection remains BSS as single agent.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iserhard
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freise
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bokemeyer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weissbrodt
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Fritsch
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soudah
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001729:Bismuth / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005773:Gastroscopy; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012459:Salicylates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014011:Tinidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014510:Urease / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012459:Salicylates; D014011:Tinidazole; C015715:bismuth subsalicylate; D000658:Amoxicillin; D014510:Urease; D001729:Bismuth