Vitamin C inhibits corpus gastritis in Helicobacter pylori-infected patients during acid-suppressive therapy.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have shown that gastric acid suppression worsens corpus gastritis in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-positive patients. We evaluated the effect of acid-suppressive therapy and vitamin C on H. pylori-associated gastritis.


METHODS
Forty patients with reflux esophagitis were divided into three groups by the status of H. pylori and therapy: group A (n=15), H. pylori (+) and omeprazole 20 mg; group B (n=15), H. pylori (+) and omeprazole 20 mg + vitamin C 1200 mg; and group C (n=10), H. pylori (-) and omeprazole 20 mg. In all three groups, the mucosal interleukin (IL)-8 contents, H. pylori colonization density, neutrophil infiltration in the corpus, and serum gastrin were evaluated at entry and 2 weeks after starting therapy; in group B, serum vitamin C levels were also measured.


RESULTS
In group A, the IL-8 contents and the degree of neutrophil infiltration during therapy exceeded those at entry, whereas in groups B and C, these values did not change significantly with treatment. Helicobacter pylori colonization density during therapy was similar to that at entry in all three groups. The serum gastrin (in all groups) and vitamin C levels (in group B) during therapy exceeded those at entry.


CONCLUSIONS
Potent acid suppression worsens H. pylori-associated corpus gastritis, although such worsening gastritis may be inhibited by vitamin C.
Yoshinaga
M
M
Department of Internal Medicine, Fukuoka Teishin Hospital, Japan. myoshi007@aol.com
Ohtani
A
A
Harada
N
N
Fukuda
Y
Y
Nawata
H
H
D000143:Acids; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000143:Acids; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D009853:Omeprazole; D001205:Ascorbic Acid