title: Helicobacter pylori infection increases serum nitrate and nitrite more prominently than serum pepsinogens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Helicobacter pylori infection causes chronic gastritis and results in increased serum concentrations of pepsinogens I and II as well as gastrin, while the ratio of pepsinogen I to II (I : II) is decreased. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is induced in H. pylori-associated gastritis and may modulate inflammation. However serum nitrate and nitrite (NOx) concentrations in patients with H. pylori-induced chronic gastritis have not been reported. We examined differences in serum NOx between H. pylori-negative and positive volunteers relative to differences in pepsinogens and gastrin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera from 80 healthy asymptomatic volunteers younger than 36 years were analyzed for anti-H. pylori antibody, NOx, gastrin and pepsinogens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In H. pylori antibody-positive subjects serum NOx concentrations were higher than in negative subjects (p < .005). In H. pylori-negative subjects, NOx correlated with pepsinogen II (r = .405, p < .05). In subjects with low pepsinogen I or II, NOx was higher in H. pylori-positive than negative subjects (p < .001). In subjects with high pepsinogen I : II (6 or higher), serum NOx was higher in H. pylori-positive than in negative subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  H. pylori-induced gastritis increases serum NOx concentrations more prominently than those of pepsinogen. In H. pylori-negative subjects, serum correlates with serum pepsinogen II.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sumii
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: Tamako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kido
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nojima
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sumii
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haruma
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshihara
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chayama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood*; D020116:Pepsinogen A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005755:Gastrins; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D020116:Pepsinogen A