Impact of Helicobacter pylori infection on serum gastrin in haemodialysis patients

Background. Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with increased gast rin release in patients with normal renal function. Hypergastrinaemia is a common finding in haemodialysis patients and, in many cases, may be Linked to PI. pylori infection. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of H. pylori infection, and its eradication, on elevated gastrin levels in ha emodialysis patients. Methods. Eighty-nine dyspeptic patients were included in the study. While 4 4 patients had normal renal function, the remaining 45 were end-stage renal failure patients. Patients were assigned to one of four groups according t o their H, pylori and renal function status. Infected patients were re-eval uated after 2 months following eradication treatment. Serum gastrin levels were measured in these groups both before and after eradication treatment. Results, Haemodialysis patients with H. pylori infection had higher serum g astrin levels than did H. pylori negative haemodialysis patients (321 +/- 1 31 pg/ml vs 154+/-25 pg/ml) (P<0.05). Mean serum gastrin concentration was 152+/-21 pg/ml in the non-uraemic H. pylori-positive group. This value was 58+/-17 pg/ml in the non-uraemic H. pylori-negative group (P <0.05). There were significant decreases in serum gastrin levels from pre- to post-eradic ation of H. pylori in the infected haemodialysis and non-uraemic patient gr oups (312 +/- 131 pg/ml to 179 +/- 85 pg/ml and 152 +/- 21 pg/ml to 72 +/- 2.4 pg//ml respectively, P < 0.05). Four patients in group Ib and 5 patient s in group IIb who had persistent infection did not have a decrease in seru m gastrin level. All patients with successful eradication had a decrease in serum gastrin concentration. Conclusion, Our findings suggest that H. pylori infection contributes to hy pergastrinaemia in haemodialysis patients. More research is needed regardin g the clinical consequences of hypergastrinaemia in these individuals.