The interest of gastroenterologists in the relationship between Helicobacte
r pylori and gastrointestinal motility emerges from the observation that He
licobacter pylori may be involved in the pathogenesis of functional dyspeps
ia and that a relatively large percentage of patients with dyspepsia may Sh
ow impaired gastrointestinal motility: A number of studies have been publis
hed on the interaction between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastrointe
stinal motility with controversial results, and, therefore, there are no de
finite conclusions, as pet, as to whether Helicobacter pylori is able, at a
ll, or in which degree, to influence the motility of the upper gastrointest
inal tract. Motility of the upper gastrointestinal tract has been studied i
n Helicobacter pylori positive and negative individuals by means of manomet
ry: scintigraphy: radio-opaque markers or by other recently developed, proc
edures such as breath tests, ultrasonography: and barostat. The vast majori
ty of studies do not support the hypothesis that Helicobacter pylori may in
fluence gastrointestinal motility Nearly all these studies are, however; af
fected by methodological problems related to the small numbers of patients,
different methodological approaches, and to the,Yell-known difficulties in
studying both gastrointestinal motility and functional dyspepsia.