Severity of Helicobacter pylori gastritis predicts duodenal ulcer recurrence.
BACKGROUND
Helicobacter pylori gastritis is suggested to be the underlying condition leading to duodenal ulcer disease. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between chronic active H. pylori gastritis and the risk of duodenal ulcer (DU) recurrence.


METHODS
One hundred and eighty-eight patients were followed up with regard to the evolution of their H. pylori gastritis after they had received antibacterial or acid-suppressing treatment for their DU. Four weeks, 1 year, and 2 years after treatment and in the case of DU recurrence several morphologic indicators of gastritis were studied histologically in the antrum and corpus.


RESULTS
In patients who were cured of H. pylori infection a significant and long-lasting regression of all gastritis variables were observed. patients with persistent H. pylori infection after antibacterial treatment showed only a temporary regression of all gastritis variables. In the overall group of patients who received acid-suppressive therapy there was no change in gastritis. However, in the subgroup of patients who received omeprazole monotherapy, no change in the antrum but a statistically significant increase of gastritis in the corpus was observed. The grade of antral gastritis at the end of treatment was significantly and positively correlated with the risk of DU recurrence and was independent of the kind of pretreatment (18.5% recurrences in grade-2 versus 86% in grade-4 gastritis).


CONCLUSIONS
The data show that the grade of gastritis is an important risk factor for duodenal ulcer recurrence. Cure of H. pylori infection is associated with healing of chronic H. pylori-associated gastritis. These data lend considerable support to the hypothesis that H. pylori gastritis is the most important factor among those leading to duodenal ulcer disease.
Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital, Magdeburg, Germany.
S
S
Miehlke
E
E
Bayerdörffer
N
N
Lehn
G A
GA
Mannes
A
A
Sommer
W
W
Höchter
J
J
Weingart
E
E
Bästlein
R
R
Hatz
M
M
Stolte
D002908:Chronic Disease; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000209:etiology*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors