[Correlation between chronic idiopathic urticaria and infection due to H. pylori].
BACKGROUND
H. pylori is considered one of the major etiological agents for chronic idiopathic urticaria; it infects 15 percent of the world's population and induces an inflammatory process in the gastric mucosa. In some cases it is related to chronic urticaria, even in the absence of digestive symptoms.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to find the correlation between chronic idiopathic urticaria and infection due to Helicobacter pylori.


METHODS
Twenty patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria and a positive urea breath test for H. pylori were included in the study. All other frequent pathologies were eliminated. Patients began treatment with amoxicillin, clarithromycin and omeprazole for 14 days. Thirty days after the start of treatment, the urea breath test was performed in all of the patients. Also cutaneous symptoms were evaluated.


RESULTS
Urticaria disappeared in 11 patients (55%), in 9 (45%) the urea breath test became negative and in two remained positive. Urticaria persisted in 9 patients (45%), in 6 (30%) the urea breath test was negative and in 3 (15%) persisted as positive. Only two patients (10%) experienced gastric symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
We found a correlation between the disappearance of the symptoms and a negative urea breath test in 45 percent of the patients who were studied. We must consider the possibility of H. pylori infection, which can be present even without gastric symptoms.
Médico internista y alergólogo adscrito al servicio de neumologia, Hospital Universitario, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León.
José Eleuterio
JE
González Morales
Lucía
L
Leal Villareal
Noé de Jesús
Nde J
Castillo Salazar
Alejandra
A
González Martínez
Ernesto
E
García Martínez
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014581:Urticaria / Q000209:etiology*