THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN NONULCER DYSPEPSIA AND HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION

Objective: To evaluate whether Helicobacter pylori-associated non-ulce r dyspepsia (NUD) presents with specific clinical features enabling it . to be distinguished from other forms of NUD. Patients: The study inc luded 149 NUD patients (67 men and 82 female; mean age 48.3 years). NU D was defined as upper gastrointestinal symptoms present for more than 4 weeks, unrelated to exertion or rest, in the absence of peptic ulce ration, oesophagitis or malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract, as c onfirmed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Interventions: Antral bi opsies were taken from all patients and evaluated for H. pylori by the rapid urease test and by a histological examination. Symptoms were do cumented and scored by standardized questionnaires in all patients. Un conditional multivariate logistic analysis was performed in order to i dentify and quantify the association between symptoms and H. pylori in fection. Results: Of the patients with NUD, 76 (51 %) were infected wi th H. pylori. The total symptom score was 9.8+/-0.3 in H. pylori-posit ive and 8.2+/-0.3 in H. pylori-negative NUD patients (P<0.001). Pain r elief after food intake (fasting pain; P<0.005), body weight (P<0.02), and absence of diarrhoea (P<0.05) were significantly and independentl y associated with H. pylori-positive NUD on multivariate logistic anal ysis. Meteorism, heartburn and history of peptic ulcer, and age were a ssociated with H. pylori-positive NUD on univariate analysis, but acte d as confounding factors when included in the multivariate analysis. C onclusion: From this study, we conclude that H. pylori-associated NUD presented with some typical clinical features. These findings suggest that H. pylori has a role in the aetiopathogenesis of NUD.