title: Possible protective effect of 5-aminosalicylic acid on Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of (Hp) infection in a group of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) outpatients and the possible influence of treatment.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The low prevalence of Hp infection in these patients is usually attributed to environmental factors; the role of drugs has not been fully investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two consecutive outpatients underwent a C13-urea breath test for Hp: 32 with Crohn's disease (13 men; mean age, 48 years; range, 20-72 years) and 40 with ulcerative colitis (25 men; mean age, 49 years; range, 25-71 years). Thirty-one patients were treated with sulfasalazine and 41 with 5-ASA. The control group consisted of 72 age- and sex-matched subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of Hp infection was 47% in the IBD patients and 61% in the controls (p = 0.089; odds ratio = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.283-1.089) with a statistically significant increase for each year of age ( p= 0.044; odds ratio = 1.02; 95% CI = 1.001-1.052). Among the IBD patients, age and gender, the type, activity, duration, extent of the disease, or the calendar year of diagnosis, had no influence on Hp infection. was detected in 65% of the patients treated with sulfasalazine and in 34% treated with 5-ASA (p = 0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although low, the prevalence of Hp infection in our patients was not significantly different from that in the controls. 5-ASA, and not sulfasalazine, may have a protective effect against Hp infection.
authors.affiliation: U.O. Gastroenterologia, Padiglione Granelli, Ospedale Maggiore di Milano, IRCCS, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milano, Italy. maurizio_quatrini@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Luca P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Piodi
authors.forename: MariaTeresa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bardella
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rocchia
authors.forename: Bruno M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Cesana
authors.forename: Annarita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baldassarri
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quatrini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000382:microbiology*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D019804:Mesalamine