title: The effects of eradication of Helicobacter pylori on the recurrence of duodenal ulcers in patients with cirrhosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of Helicobacter pylori in patients with cirrhosis and increased prevalence of peptic ulcers is still poorly defined. The objective is to evaluate the effect of H pylori eradication on ulcer recurrence in patients with cirrhosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at a single, tertiary, referral hospital with 1200 beds. Patients with cirrhosis and duodenal ulcers were tested for H pylori and were enrolled in the study. Patients with positive H pylori received eradication therapy. Patients with duodenal ulcers received antisecretory therapy and regular endoscopic examinations. Main outcome measurements were the recurrence of duodenal ulcers within 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 104 patients with cirrhosis and duodenal ulcers were enrolled. Fifty-four patients (52%) were H pylori positive, and 50 patients (48%) were H pylori negative. Forty-four patients received antimicrobial treatment and 36 patients achieved eradication of H pylori. Recurrent duodenal ulcers within 1 year were noted in 21 of 36 patients (58%) who achieved H pylori eradication. Recurrent duodenal ulcers also were noted in 8 of the 18 patients (44%) who remained H pylori positive and in 24 of the patients (48%) who were H pylori negative since their enrollment in the study (p = 0.53). The limitation was a relatively small sample size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study showed that the prevalence of H pylori in patients with cirrhosis and duodenal ulcers was only 52%. Eradication of H pylori in patients with cirrhosis and duodenal ulcers did not effectively reduce the recurrence of ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Gin-Ho
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Hsien-Chung
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yi-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Wen-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ping-I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Chiun-Ku
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Kwok-Hung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004384:Duodenoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents