Helicobacter pylori in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia

The relationship between endoscopically diagnosed gastroduodenitis, histologically confirmed gastritis, and symptoms of dyspepsia remains unclear. Marked histologically confirmed inflammation of gastric mucosa often occurs in a stomach that appears normal by endoscopy. Both histologically confirmed and endoscopically diagnosed gastritis are commonly blamed as causes of nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD), although neither disease has been convincingly shown to cause NUD. Helicobacter pylori infection of gastric mucosa is a common cause of histologically confirmed inflammation. It is unclear whether this infection with H. pylori and the resultant gastric mucosal inflammation cause symptoms since inflamed mucosae are also common in asymptomatic controls. The reported increased prevalence of H. pylori in patients with NUD compared with controls suggests a possible causative role in at least a subset of patients with NUD. In addition, three controlled studies of treatment with bismuth demonstrated a significant trend toward improvement of symptoms after clearance of H. pylori. However, two studies of therapy with bismuth failed to demonstrate improvement of symptoms. Further study of patients with NUD is needed to clarify this possible association.