The Effects of Helicobacter pylori Eradication Therapy for Chronic IdiopathicThrombocytopenic Purpura.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment to increase platelet counts in Korean patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).


METHODS
A total of 102 patients were evaluated against two criteria. First, those diagnosed with H. pylori infections in whom eradication was successful were assigned to the H. pylori-positive and -eradicated group (n=39), whereas those diagnosed with H. pylori infections in whom eradication failed were assigned to the H. pylori-positive and -non-eradicated group (n=3), and those without H. pylori infections were assigned to the H. pylori - negative group (n=60). Second, patients with complete remission in whom the platelet recovery effect was maintained over the average follow-up period of 6 months after eradication therapy were defined as the responder group (n=58), whereas those with partial or no response were defined as the nonresponder group (n=44).


RESULTS
The platelet counts of the H. pylori-positive and -eradicated group were significantly increased 6 months after eradication therapy compared to those of the H. pylori-positive and -non-eradicated group and the H. pylori-negative group (43.2±29.1 to 155.3±68.7×10³/μL vs 42.5±28.1 to 79.8±59.7×10³/μL vs 43.1±28.9 to 81.2±62.2×10³/μL; p=0.041). The eradication therapy success rate in the responder group was 100.0% (39/39), in contrast to the nonresponder group (0%, 0/3) (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
H. pylori eradication therapy was related to increased platelet count, and successful eradication affected the increased platelet count in Korean patients with chronic ITP.
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Jae Jin
JJ
Hwang
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Dong Ho
DH
Lee
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Hyuk
H
Yoon
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Cheol Min
CM
Shin
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Young Soo
YS
Park
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Nayoung
N
Kim
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D060740:Disease Eradication; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents
Eradication therapy; Helicobacter pylori; Platelet count; Purpura, thrombocytopenic, idiopathic