Effect of eradication of Helicobacter pylori in children with chronic immune thrombocytopenia: a prospective, controlled, multicenter study.
BACKGROUND
The eradication of Helicobacter pylori has been associated with remission of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in approximately half of eradicated patients. Data on children are limited to small case series.


METHODS
Children from 16 centers in Italy, who were less than 18 years of age and diagnosed with chronic ITP (cITP), were screened for H. pylori infection. Positive patients underwent standard triple therapy with amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and omeprazole. The eradication response was defined as follows: complete response, platelet (PLT) count ≥ 150 × 10(9) /L; partial response, PLT count of at least 50 × 10(9) /L; no response, PLT count <50 × 10(9) /L.


RESULTS
Of 244 screened patients, 50 (20%) had H. pylori infection, 37 of which received eradication therapy and completed follow-up. Eradication was successful in 33/37 patients (89%). PLT recovery was demonstrated in 13/33 patients after eradication (39%), whereas spontaneous remission was observed in 17/166 (10%) H. pylori-negative patients (P < 0.005). Responders more often required second line eradication (9/13), whereas a second cycle was required in 3/20 non-responders (P < 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Among the large cohort of patients, those who underwent successful H. pylori eradication showed a significantly higher PLT response. Therefore, it may be appropriate to look for H. pylori and eventually eradicate it in children with cITP.
Russo
Giovanna
G
Centro di Riferimento di Ematologia ed Oncologia Pediatrica, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy. diberuss@unict.it
Miraglia
Vito
V
Branciforte
Francesca
F
Matarese
Sofia Maria Rosaria
SM
Zecca
Marco
M
Bisogno
Gianni
G
Parodi
Emilia
E
Amendola
Giovanni
G
Giordano
Paola
P
Jankovic
Momcilo
M
Corti
Annalisa
A
Nardi
Margherita
M
Farruggia
Piero
P
Battisti
Laura
L
Baronci
Carlo
C
Palazzi
Giovanni
G
Tucci
Fabio
F
Ceppi
Stefania
S
Nobili
Bruno
B
Ramenghi
Ugo
U
De Mattia
Domenico
D
Notarangelo
Lucia
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010976:Platelet Count; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D000658:Amoxicillin; D017291:Clarithromycin; D009853:Omeprazole