Helicobacter pylori in gastroduodenal diseases.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and disease association of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in dyspeptic patients in southwest Nigeria.


METHODS
Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-lfe, Nigeria.


METHODS
Consecutive dyspeptic patients for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy from January 1996 to March 1997 were investigated for H. pylori in gastric biopsy by histopathology and culture. Patients without gastroduodenal ulcerations or neoplastic lesions constituted the nonulcer dyspeptic (NUD) group.


RESULTS
138 (92 males, 46 females) patients aged 4.5-85 years [mean (7) = 45+/-SD 17.8 years] who had upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were analyzed for presence of H. pylori. Eighty-three had histopathology alone, while 55 others had both histology and culture. Endoscopic diagnosis included duodenal ulcer (DU) (n=35, 23%); gastric ulcer (n=4, 3%); gastric cancer (n=14, 9%); NUD, including gastritis (n=49, 32%); duodenitis (n=47, 31%); and normal (n=16, 11%). Overall, H. pylori was positive in 107 of 138 (77.5%) patients. There was a significant association of H. pylori with DU and NUD (p<0.000). Three-quarters of cases of normal endoscopy harbored H. pylori. The finding of 80% and 85% H. pylori in gastritis and duodenitis, respectively, was of interest.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that DU and NUD were the main clinical expressions of H. pylori infection in southwest Nigerian dyspeptic patients similar to what is found in developed nations. Of note is the high incidence of H. pylori in endoscopically normal patients.
Lawal
Oladejo O
OO
Department of Surgery, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, 220005 Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. lawal_08@yahoo.com
Rotimi
Olorunda
O
Okeke
Iruka
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004378:Duodenal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*