Published online Jun 25, 1996. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v2.i2.104
Revised: May 25, 1996
Accepted: June 8, 1996
Published online: June 25, 1996
AIM: To determine the relation between Helicobacter pylori infection and portal hypertensive gastropathy.
METHODS: Thirty-four patients diagnosed with portal hypertensive gastropathy according to the McCormack criteria were studied, and 136 age- and sex-matched individuals with chronic superficial gastritis served as controls. H. pylori infection was assessed by the rapid urease test.
RESULTS: H. pylori infection was confirmed in 19 of 34 (55.9%) patients and in 74 of 136 (54.4%) controls. There was no significant difference in H. pylori infection rates of the patients and controls (P < 0.05). The findings show that the presence of H. pylori was not closely associated with portal hypertensive gastropathy. In addition, there was no significant difference in H. pylori infection rates in patients sub-grouped by severity of gastropathy, duration of the disease and Child-Pugh classification of liver function (P < 0.05). The results suggest that factors other than H. pylori infection may be important in the pathogenesis of endoscopic changes.
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of H. pylori infection was not higher in portal hypertensive gastropathy patients than in controls with chronic superficial gastritis who were matched by sex and age. H. pylori infection is unrelated to the severity of endoscopic changes, duration of the disease and Child-Pugh classification of liver function. H. pylori infection is not the only essential factor for the development of portal hypertensive gastropathy.