title: Halitosis in patients with Helicobacter pylori-positive non-ulcer dyspepsia: an indication for eradication therapy?
abstract: BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to investigate the frequency of halitosis before and after eradication therapy and to determine whether halitosis is a valid indication for eradication therapy in patients with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-positive non-ulcer dyspepsia. METHODS: Dyspepsia, related symptoms, and halitosis were investigated by way of a questionnaire. Only H. pylori-positive patients who showed no organic lesions on endoscopic examination and no atrophy histopathologically were included. A total of 148 patients fulfilled the above criteria and completed the study. Four weeks after the end of eradication treatment, the symptoms were re-evaluated and repeat endoscopy was done to check for H. pylori in the gastric mucosa. Results: H. pylori eradication was successful in 109 patients (73.6%). Prior to treatment, bloating was the most frequent symptom (74.3%), followed by diurnal pain (62.2%) and halitosis (61.5%). The most successfully resolved symptoms in the group as a whole, regardless of eradication status, were halitosis, diurnal pain, and hunger-like pain, respectively. In the patients with confirmed H. pylori eradication, the most successfully resolved symptoms were halitosis and hunger-like pain, respectively. CONCLUSION: Halitosis is a frequent, but treatable, symptom of H. pylori-positive non-ulcer dyspepsia and may be a valid indication for eradication therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Adana Teaching and Medical Research Center, 39 Sokak, No. 6, 02150, Adana, Turkey
authors.forename: Ender
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Serin
authors.forename: Yuksel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gumurdulu
authors.forename: Fazilet
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kayaselcuk
authors.forename: Birol
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boyacioglu