Helicobacter pylori and congestive gastropathy

This study evaluates the prevalence and significance of Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori) infection in patients with portal hypertension. 118 patients were selected, i. e. 90 patients with portal hypertension (66 males, 24 females, mean age 49.1 +/- 2.1 years) and 28 noncirrhotic patients with nonulcerative dyspepsia as a control group (twelve males, 16 females, mean age 47.6 +/- 2.8 years). In all patients diagnostic upper endoscopy was performed and gastric biopsies were taken for histological examination and diagnosis of H. pylori infection. Of the portal hypertensive patients, 42 patients (47%) had congestive gastropathy, eleven (26%) of whom were positive for H. pylori infection and 48 (53%) did not have gastropathy, twelve (25%) of whom were positive for H. pylori infection. In the control group, 15 of 28 (54%) were positive for H. pylori infection. H. pylori was found less frequently in congestive gastropathy patients than in the control group. We found also that the presence and severity of congestive gastropathy is independent of the H. pylori status. We conclude that the role of H. pylori infection in the pathogenesis of congestive gastropathy seems to be unlikely and we suggest that there is no need for its routine eradication in cirrhotic patients.