title: Helicobacter pylori infection in psoriasis: results of a clinical study and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data from the literature concerning the role of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in psoriasis are still conflicting. This study was carried out to evaluate prevalence of H. pylori in patients with mild to severe psoriasis, correlation between H. pylori infection and severity of psoriasis, and effect of H. pylori eradication on the clinical course of psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and ten patients with psoriasis and 150 healthy controls were screened for H. pylori through [(13) C] urea breath test at baseline (T0). All patients with psoriasis received standardized phototherapy treatment, and those infected by H. pylori were also treated with a 1-week triple therapy, then they were all re-evaluated four weeks later at the end of therapy (T5).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of H. pylori was not higher in psoriasis than in the control group (20.27 vs. 22%; P > 0.05). Patients infected by H. pylori showed more severe psoriasis than uninfected patients (psoriasis area and severity index score 17.9 ± 7.1 vs. 13.7 ± 6.9; P = 0.04), and patients who received successful eradication of H. pylori infection showed a greater improvement of psoriasis than the others (psoriasis area and severity index score at T5 in patients infected by H. pylori was 8.36 ± 3.76, in uninfected patients was 10.85 ± 3.49; P = 0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with mild to severe psoriasis do not show a greater prevalence of H. pylori infection; however, H. pylori seems able to affect the clinical severity of psoriasis.
authors: Dermatological Unit, Department of Clinical and Moleciular Sciences, Polytechnic Marche University, Ancona, Italy.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Campanati
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Ganzetti
authors: Emanuela
authors: E
authors: Martina
authors: Melania
authors: M
authors: Giannoni
authors: Rosaria
authors: R
authors: Gesuita
authors: Emanuele
authors: E
authors: Bendia
authors: Katia
authors: K
authors: Giuliodori
authors: Lucia
authors: L
authors: Sandroni
authors: Annamaria
authors: A
authors: Offidani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult