RELATIONSHIP OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION TO SEVERAL MALIGNANT AND NONMALIGNANT GASTROINTESTINAL-DISEASES

The importance of the Helicobacter Pylori infection was investigated a s a risk factor for several gastrointestinal diseases. In this study 2 03 patients with gastric cancer, 61 with peptic ulcus, 60 with gastrit is and 100 asymptomatic control subjects were investigated. Serum samp les were examined for IgC antibodies to H.pylori by enzyme linked immu noassay - tissue samples were stained for H.pylori by Wartin-Stary tec hnique and by Giemsa for routine histopathology. H.pylori seropositivi ty was 58.1% in gastric cancer, 54% in peptic ulcus, 63.3% in gastriti s and 27% in asymptomatic control group. There was a 10.1% discordance between the serum and tumor determinants in the seropositive group an d 11.3% of discordance in the seronegative group. The frequency of H.p ylori seropositivity was lowest in cardia tumors (22.7%) and highest i n antral tumors (65.5%, p=0.00002). H.pylori seropositivity was 29% in diffuse type of histology, 35% in mixed type and 79% in the intestina l type (p=0.00000), In the gastric cancer patients the frequent use of salty food (p=0.00001, OR=6.4), excessive salt, pickled food (p=0.000 0, OR=24.92) and proteins (p=0.003, OR=0.45) were more significant tha n asymptomatic volunteers, In gastric cancer patients the frequent use of salty and pickled food were relevantly associated with H.pylori in fection (p=0.001). It was concluded that H.pylori infection could play a role in the pathogenesis of non-malignant gastrointestinal diseases which may be the precursor of carcinoma. However, other contributing factors to carcinogenesis must be investigated.