Helicobacter pylori infection in chronic smokers with non ulcer dyspepsia

Both H. pylori infection and smoking are risk factors for acid peptic disorders. There is paucity of data on relationship between smoking and H. pylori infection. Therefore, we studied prevalence of H. pylori infection in smokers with non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD).

30 smokers with NUD (age 29.5 +/- 1.2 years; all men) and 30 non-smokers with NUD (age 29.2 +/- 1.6 years; all men) were included. None was on antiulcer drugs or antibiotics for more than 2 weeks. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed and antral biopsies obtained were subjected to rapid urease test, Gram's staining, culture and histopathology. Patient was considered H. pylori positive, if culture was positive or combination of histopathology plus rapid urease test or Gram's staining plus rapid urease test was positive.

24 of 30 (80%) smokers and 13 of 30 (43%) non smokers were positive for H. pylori infection (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the positivity of H. pylori in light (78%), moderate (81%) and heavy smokers (80%). All the 37 patients who were positive for H. pylori had histological gastritis compared to 65% in H. pylori negative patients. However there was no difference in presence of histological gastritis among H. pylori negative smokers (33%) and non smokers (70%; p = NS).

H. pylori infection is more common in smokers with NUD than in non-smokers. However duration and amount of smoking has no relationship with H. pylori positivity.