[Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in liver cirrhosis complicated with hepatic encephalopathy].
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a frequent complication of liver cirrhosis, and plasma ammonia plays a pivotal role in its pathogenesis. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) urease activity is a potential source of ammonia in the stomach of patients with cirrhosis and may contribute to hyperammonemia in these patients, but conflicting data are available in the literature. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in cirrhotic patients with HE admitted in a tertiary medical center from nord-eastern region of Romania.


RESULTS
seroprevalence of H. pylori infection in cirrhotic patients with HE did not significantly differ from cirrhotic patients without HE (51.61% vs. 48.39%). Clinical and biochemical parameters were almost similar between patients with HE H. pylori-positive and those H. pylori-negative.


CONCLUSIONS
the prevalence of H. pylori infection in cirrhotic patients with HE is almost similar to that found in patients with liver cirrhosis without HE. Our results suggest that H. pylori infection is not an independent risk factor for HE in cirrhotic patients.
Săndulache
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Institutul de Gastroenterologie si Hepatologie Iaşi, Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea de Medicină si Farmacie "Gr.T. Popa" Iaşi.
Stanciu
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C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D022124:Hyperammonemia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology