Helicobacter pylori infection and peptic ulcer disease in patients with liver cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the prevalence and relationship of peptic ulcer disease and Helicobacter pylori infection to liver cirrhosis.


METHODS
We examined 288 patients with liver cirrhosis, 322 patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia, and 339 patients with peptic ulcer disease. Rapid urease test and Wright-Giemsa staining were used for diagnosis of H. pylori infection.


RESULTS
The prevalence of peptic ulcer disease in patients with cirrhosis was 24.3%. The prevalence of peptic ulcer disease in patients with cirrhosis divided into Child-Pugh classes A, B, and C was 22.3%, 21.0%, and 31.3%, respectively (p > 0.05). The prevalence of H. pylori infection in the patients with cirrhosis, non-ulcer dyspepsia, and peptic ulcer without chronic liver disease were 35.1%, 62.4%, and 73.7%, respectively (p < 0.001). The prevalence of H. pylori infection did not differ depending on whether there was peptic ulcer (35.6%) or not (34.9%) in patients with liver cirrhosis (p > 0.05). The prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with hepatitis virus-related liver cirrhosis and in the patients with alcohol-related liver cirrhosis was 42.5% and 22.0%, respectively (p < 0.001). The prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with Child-Pugh classes A, B, and C liver cirrhosis was 51.5%, 30.5%, and 20.0%, respectively (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Factors other than H. pylori may be involved in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease in the setting of liver cirrhosis.
Kim
Dong Joon
DJ
Department of Internal Medicine, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea. djkim@hallym.ac.kr
Kim
Hak Yang
HY
Kim
Sung Jung
SJ
Hahn
Tae Ho
TH
Jang
Myoung Kuk
MK
Baik
Gwang Ho
GH
Kim
Jin Bong
JB
Park
Sang Hoon
SH
Lee
Myung-Seok
MS
Park
Choong Kee
CK
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*