title: Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric juice vitamin C levels. Impact of eradication.
abstract: H. pylori has recently been recognized as a novel risk factor of gastric cancer, but its precise role in gastric carcinogenesis is as yet unknown. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between H. pylori infection and vitamin C levels in gastric juice and also to examine whether eradication of H. pylori could have any impact on these levels. Gastric juice and plasma vitamin C levels were measured in 88 dyspeptic patients who had an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. In the subgroup of H. pylori-positive patients, eradication was attempted with triple therapy. This subgroup was studied on two occasions, ie, before and after treatment. There were 58 H. pylori-positive and 30 -negative patients. Gastric juice vitamin C levels in H. pylori-positive patients were statistically lower (P < 0.001) than the levels in the H. pylori-negative patients. Triple therapy achieved eradication in 45 patients (77.6%) of the 58 H. pylori-positive patients. Before H. pylori was eradicated in these 45 patients gastric juice vitamin C levels were significantly (P < 0.001) lower than those after eradication, the latter being no different than the group of 30 H. pylori-negative patients. There was a significant (P < 0.001) improvement of gastritis after eradication, which paralleled the elevation of gastric juice vitamin C levels. No difference was noted in plasma vitamin C levels between H. pylori-negative and -positive patients or in the latter before and after H. pylori treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, 401 Army General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rokkas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papatheodorou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karameris
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mavrogeorgis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kalogeropoulos
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giannikos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D001729:Bismuth / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000737:chemistry*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008795:Metronidazole; D000658:Amoxicillin; C002791:bismuth tripotassium dicitrate; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D001729:Bismuth