PREVALENCE OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC-RENAL-FAILURE

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) was investigated in 164 consecutive patients with different degrees of renal function; gro up I (normal renal function) n = 84, group II (chronic renal failure, CL(CR) greater-than-or-equal-to 5 < 90 ml/min) n = 45, group III (haem odialysis therapy) n = 35, to test the hypothesis that the resulting d ifferent concentrations of urea in the gastric juice would have an inf luence on the colonization of the gastric mucosa by these urea-splitti ng bacteria. As every individual method for the detection of H. pylori shows disadvantages, the results of the detection methods used (ureas e test, Warthin Starry stain, bacterial cultivation, direct examinatio n of the processed sample by phase-contrast microscopy) were combined in a cumulative evaluation. These calculated cumulative indices for th e antrum and corpus showed no statistically significant differences be tween the studied groups. The prevalence of H. pylori ranged from 34 t o 54%. The histopathological findings were similar in all groups. In s pite of the fact that patients with renal dysfunction had significantl y higher levels of serum gastrin (P < 0.05), there was no influence on the gastric juice pH value. The relationship between the cumulative i ndex and ammonia concentration in gastric juice was found to be linear (P < 0.05). The higher urea levels in the blood and gastric juice of patients with renal failure do not seem to be a risk factor for infect ion with H. pylori.