title: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in nonulcer dyspepsia. Importance of stratification according to age.
abstract: Helicobacter pylori (formerly Campylobacter pylori) is causally related to active antral gastritis and is highly associated with duodenal and gastric ulcers. However, the relationship of H pylori to nonulcer dyspepsia is less clear. We determined the presence of H pylori in unselected patients who were undergoing upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy, and we found a prevalence of 37% in 110 patients with nonulcer dyspepsia that was similar to previous data. Patients with nonulcer dyspepsia who had H pylori were found to be significantly older than patients with nonulcer dyspepsia who did not have H pylori. In addition, when stratified according to age, we detected an increased prevalence of H pylori in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia with increasing age, similar to that reported for asymptomatic control populations. This finding casts doubt as to the causal role of H pylori for most patients with nonulcer dyspepsia and stresses the importance of considering epidemiologic factors, such as age, when evaluating the role of H pylori in specific disease states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, (Division of Gastroenterology), Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY 11042.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bank
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology