Can Helicobacter pylori Infection Cause Upper Gastrointestinal and Colonic Lesions Simultaneously?

Lee, Ki Sung; Kim, Hak Yang; Lee, Ja Young; Kim, Seong Gyun; Kim, Auk; Suh, Joong San; Lee, Jin Heon; Kim, Jong Hyeok; Chang, Woong Ki; Kim, Yong Bum; Park, Choong Kee; Yoo, Jae Young

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Some studies showed the higher prevalence of H. pylori infection in the patients with colon adenoma and carcinoma than control subjects. The association between H. pylori infection and colonic diseases is controversial. We evaluated H. pylori infection rate and the related upper gastrointestinal lesions in the patients with colon polyp and cancer.
METHODS
Ninety-four subjects, 67 with colonic lesions and 27 without colonic lesions were enrolled. Colon polyp and cancer were confirmed by colonoscopic biopsy or polypectomy. The enrolled subjects were received gastroduodenoscopic examination. H. pylori infection was evaluated serologically and/or with rapid urease test. The fasting serum gastrin level was measured.
RESULTS
H. pylori infection rates in the patients with and without colonic lesions were 67.2% and 44.4%, respectively (p<0.05). Upper gastrointestinal lesions were observed in 27 of 67 patients (40.3%) with colonic lesions and in 11 of 27 patients (40.7%) without colonic lesions (p=1.0). Mean levels of serum gastrin with and without colonic lesions were 91.7+/-31.1 pg/mL and 88.1+/-37.7 pg/mL, respectively (p=0.15).
CONCLUSIONS
Our study supports the relationship between H. pylori infection, colorectal neoplasia. Although there was no significant difference, the possibility of the simultaneous presence of upper gastrointestinal lesions in the patients with colorectal polyp and cancer was suggested. But the relationship between serum gastrin and the development of colorectal polyp and cancer was not documented.