title: ABO, Lewis, secretor and non-secretor phenotypes in patients infected or uninfected by the Helicobacter pylori bacillus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiological studies have demonstrated higher frequencies of the O blood group and the non-secretor phenotype of ABH antigens among patients suffering from peptic ulcers. Since Helicobacter pylori has been established as the main etiological factor in this disease, controversies about the associations of the ABO and Lewis blood group phenotypes and secretor and non-secretor phenotypes in relation to susceptibility towards infection by this bacillus have been presented.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To verify the frequencies of ABO, Lewis blood group phenotypes, secretor and non-secretor phenotypes in patients infected or uninfected by H. pylori.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty patients with dyspeptic symptoms who underwent endoscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  ABO and Lewis blood group phenotypes were determined by a standard hemagglutination test and the secretor and non-secretor phenotypes were evaluated by saliva samples using the inhibitor hemagglutination test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diagnosis of infection, made via breath and urea tests and confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in gastric biopsy fragments, showed the presence of H. pylori in 61.7% of the patients and absence in 38.3%. The differences between the frequencies of the ABO blood group phenotypes among infected (A 27.0%; B 12.2%; AB 4.0% and O 56.8%) and uninfected patients (A 58.7%; B 13.0%; AB 4.3% and O 24.0%) were significant. The Lewis blood type, secretor and non-secretor phenotypes showed homogeneous distribution between the groups of patients analyzed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the infection of H. pylori can be related to ABO blood groups but not to the Lewis blood group nor to secretor and non-secretor phenotypes.
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto, Brazil. lumattos@famerp.br
authors: Luiz Carlos
authors: LC
authors: de Mattos
authors: Juliana
authors: J
authors: Rodrigues Cintra
authors: Fábio Eduardo
authors: FE
authors: Sanches
authors: Rita de Cássia Martins
authors: Rde C
authors: Alves da Silva
authors: Milton Artur
authors: MA
authors: Ruiz
authors: Haroldo Wilson
authors: HW
authors: Moreira
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000032:analysis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens