Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric emptying in cirrhotic patients with symptoms of dyspepsia

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chronic gastric Helicobacter pylori infection is common in patients with dyspeptic symptoms. The effect of H. pylori infection on gas tric emptying, in cirrhotic patients with dyspeptic symptoms, has never bee n studied. Therefore, we investigated the incidence of H. pylori infection and its relationship with gastric emptying in cirrhotic patients with dyspe psia. METHODOLOGY: A solid-phase gastric emptying study and C-14 urea breath test were performed in 80 cirrhotic patients with dyspepsia. The severity of ci rrhosis was assessed according to Child-Pugh's classification. RESULTS: The overall incidence of delayed gastric emptying was 75%. Delayed gastric emptying incidences according to severity of cirrhosis were 71.4% for Child-A, 73.1% for Child-B, and 80.8% for Child-C. The differences were not significant. The incidence of H. pylori infection was 52.5% overall. H , pylori infection rates were 46.4% for Child-A, 42.3% for Child-B, and 69. 2% for Child-C. Although there was a tendency for the infection rate to inc rease with the severity of liver cirrhosis, the difference was not signific ant. In addition, there were no significant differences in the incidences o f H. pylori infection among patients with normal and delayed gastric emptyi ng. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed gastric emptying is common in cirrhotic patients with dyspepsia. However, the status of H. pylori infection does not seem to play a role in delayed gastric emptying in these patients.