PREVALENCE OF UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL LESIONS AND HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION IN CROHNS-DISEASE

Crohn's disease can affect the upper gut with reported variable freque ncy, although concurrent Helicobacter pylori infection has been report ed to be low. We prospectively investigated the prevalence of esophage al, gastric, and duodenal lesions and Helicobacter pylori infection in 67 Crohn's disease, 41 ulcerative colitis patients, and 43 controls. Symptoms, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and multiple biopsies were perfo rmed on all patients consecutively. Endoscopic lesions were found in 6 3% of Crohn's disease patients, with a Helicobacter pylori prevalence of 28%. Granulomas were found in three patients. Twenty-two percent of the ulcerative colitis patients had lesions, with a 29% prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection. Half of the controls had pathological endoscopy, and Helicobacter pylori was positive in 40% of the cases. S ubjective symptoms did not predict the presence of endoscopic lesions or Helicobacter pylori infection in inflammatory bowel disease patient s. Chronic gastritis and duodenitis are common in Crohn's disease pati ents, and the majority are not associated with Helicobacter pylori inf ection.