title: Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and value of preoperative testing and treatment in patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have reported a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and a greater incidence of anastomotic ulcer in patients positive for H. pylori, leading to recommendations for routine preoperative screening. Our hypotheses were that the prevalence of H. pylori in patients undergoing RYGB is similar to that of the general population and that preoperative H. pylori testing and treatment does not decrease the incidence of anastomotic ulcer or pouch gastritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of H. pylori serology, preoperative and postoperative endoscopy findings, and the development of anastomotic ulcer or erosive pouch gastritis was performed. All patients positive for H. pylori received treatment. Univariate parametric and nonparametric statistical tests, as well as multiple logistic regression analyses, were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 422 LRYGB patients were included in the study. Of these patients, 259 (61.4%) were tested for H. pylori and 163 (38.6%) were not. Of the 259 patients, 58 (22.4%) tested positive for H. pylori, 197 (76.1%) tested negative, and 4 (1.5%) had an equivocal result. Postoperatively, 53 patients (12.6%) underwent upper endoscopy. Of these 53 patients, 19 (4.5%) had positive endoscopy findings for anastomotic ulcer (n = 16) or erosive pouch gastritis (n = 3). Five patients underwent biopsy at endoscopy; all biopsies were negative for H. pylori. No difference was found in the rate of positive endoscopy between patients tested preoperatively for H. pylori (5%) and patients not tested (3.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study have shown that the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients undergoing RYGB is similar to that of the general population. Our study has shown that H. pylori testing does not lower the risk of anastomotic ulcer or pouch gastritis.
authors.affiliation: Temple University School of Medicine, Clinical Campus, Western Pennsylvania Hospital, 4800 Friendship Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA. ppapasav@wpahs.org
authors.forename: Pavlos K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Papasavas
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gagné
authors.forename: Patricio E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.forename: Jorge E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Urbandt
authors.forename: Kristen K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.forename: Philip F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Caushaj
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial