The Infection Rate of Helicobacter pylori and Its Relation to Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure

Son, Hye Young; Kim, Young Sun; Jung, Hye Kyung; Yi, Sun Young

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) can survive in the acid milieu of stomach by producing urease, which generates acid neutralizing ammonia by splitting gastric urea and creates a satisfactory environment for H. pylori. Thus the patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) with increased diffusion of blood urea to gastric lumen may be theoretically more susceptible to colonization with H. pylori. To investigate the infection rate of H. pylori in CRF and its relation to gastrointestinal symptoms, we performed prospective controlled study.
METHODS
We performed gastroscopy in forty-two patients with CRF. Rapid urease test and histologic examination for H. pylori infection were performed. Histological gastritis was graded by updated Sydney classification. Gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed in all CRF patients and serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels were also measured.
RESULTS
Twenty-one (50.0%) demonstrated H. pylori infection in patients with CRF. H. pylori infection and major endoscopic findings were not related to the gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with CRF. In H. pylori-positive CRF patients, density of H. pylori and grade of histological gastritis were not related to the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS
The infection rate of H. pylori was 50% in patients with CRF. Gastrointestinal symptoms in CRF were related to factors other than H. pylori infection.