title: Influence of Helicobacter pylori infection on gastric acid secretion in pre-school Bangladeshi children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection on gastric acid secretion (GAS) is poorly defined in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether H. pylori infection is associated with abnormal GAS in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 30 H. pylori-infected children (identified by a positive urea breath test) and 30 noninfected children of both sexes, aged 2-5 years. Gastric pH and GAS were measured before and 8 weeks after the completion of a 2-week course of anti- H. pylori therapy (omeprazole, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin). Gastric acid output (GAO) was quantified during a 1-h basal period (GAO-B) (mmol/h) and a 1-hour stimulated period (GAO-S) (mmol/hour) following subcutaneous administration of pentagastrin (6 μg/kg).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significantly greater number of infected children had a high gastric pH (>4.0, p = 0.03) compared with the noninfected group. GAO-B and GAO-S in H. pylori-infected children were significantly lower, around 50%, compared with children without H. pylori infection. H. pylori-eradication therapy resulted in a rise of both the mean GAO-B (paired t-test before vs. after therapy; 0.28 ± 0.40 vs. 0.62 ± 1.0, p = 0.12) and GAO-S (before vs. after therapy; 2.0 ± 1.4 vs. 3.4 ± 2.5, p = 0.001), with values reaching equivalence to those in the H. pylori-negative children (0.71 ± 0.56 for BAO, 3.3 ± 2.0 for SAO, p = NS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the gastric barrier is compromised in children with H. pylori infection in Bangladesh. Improvement of GAO following anti- H. pylori therapy suggests a causal link between H. pylori infection and depressed GAO in this population.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh. sasarker@icddrb.org
authors.forename: Shafiqul A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sarker
authors.forename: Shamima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sultana
authors.forename: Samima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sattar
authors.forename: Tahmeed
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beglinger
authors.forename: Niklaus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gyr
authors.forename: George J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Fuchs
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001459:Bangladesh; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents