ALTERATIONS IN UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL MOTILITY IN HELICOBACTER PYLORI-POSITIVE NONULCER DYSPEPSIA

Objective: To study the association between gastrointestinal motility and Helicobacter pylori (HP) among patients with nonulcer dyspepsia (N UD). Methods: We examined the gastric emptying and orocecal transit ti mes (OCTT) in patients with NUD who were colonized with Helicobacter p ylori (n = 27). NUD was defined as dyspeptic symptoms for at least 3 m onths in the absence of gastrointestinal pathology as seen on endoscop y and ultrasound. Subjects with diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorder, o r abdominal surgery except appendectomy were excluded. The HP-negative patients with NUD (n = 38) served as controls. Solid phase gastric em ptying was assessed by radionuclide scintigraphy. OCTT was determined by measuring exhaled breath hydrogen upon administration of lactulose. Results: The two groups were similar with respect to age, sex, race, and history of smoking. Gastric emptying (t(1/2)) was 64.96 +/- 3.61 m in in the HP-negative and 61.0 +/- 6.59 in the HP-positive group (p = NS). The OCTT was 130.9 +/- 17.26 minutes in the HP-negative and 84.28 +/- 11.07 in the HP-positive group (p = 0.03). There was no differenc e in the prevalence of nonhydrogen producers between the two groups. T here was no correlation between gastric emptying and OCTT (p > 0.05). Conclusions: OCTT is faster among HP-positive patients with NUD than a mong HP-negative patients. However, gastric emptying is similar in the two groups.