Changes in food tolerance and lifestyle after eradication of Helicobacter pylori.
BACKGROUND
It is known that patients with peptic ulcer disease (PUD) often have an unhealthy lifestyle that results in increased mortality because of smoking-related diseases. No thorough study has been done to see what changes, if any, the patient makes to lifestyle after eradication of Helicobacter pylori.


METHODS
One-hundred-and-eighty-three patients were enrolled in an open-endoscopy setting; 58% had PUD and 42% gastritis and/or duodenitis (G/D). They filled out a lifestyle questionnaire before the start of anti-Helicobacter therapy and again 1 year later.


RESULTS
The prevalence of food intolerance decreased from 71% to 44% among patients with PUD (P < 0.0001) and from 76% to 63% among patients with G/D (P = 0.09). Tolerance improved for coffee, orange juice, fried foods, spicy foods and fruits. There was no significant change in smoking or alcohol consumption after eradication. Coffee and tea consumption was unchanged. Milk consumption decreased from 4.2 dL/day to 3.3 (P = 0.01). The number of meals decreased from 3.5/day to 3.4 (P = 0.005) and snacking from 1.3 snacks/day to 1.1 (P = 0.02). Consumption of fruit increased from 4.0 to 4.3 times/week (P = 0.04), but the frequency of meat, fish, vegetables, spicy foods, salty foods, sweets and cakes did not change. The time spent on each meal was unchanged. There was no change in the time spent exercising. There were few significant differences between PUD and G/D patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Food was better tolerated, but there were no major changes in lifestyle after eradication of H. pylori. Patients therefore do not abuse the privilege of a more tolerant digestion by indulging in a more unhealthy lifestyle.
Institute of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. snorri.olafsson@helsebergen.no
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Olafsson
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Berstad
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D019167:Appetite Stimulants; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D003069:Coffee; D004382:Duodenitis / Q000382:microbiology; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005502:Food; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000523:psychology*; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D019167:Appetite Stimulants; D003069:Coffee