The effect of the eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection on hemorrhage because of duodenal ulcer

The cost of a recurrently bleeding duodenal ulcer (DU) is very high, both f rom a human and an economic point-of-view. Helicobacter pylori infection pl ays an important role in the pathogenesis of DU disease and its complicatio ns, such as bleeding. Curl of H. pylori infection is recommended in patient s with DU and its complications, although in the latter case. the most effi cient management is not yet a defined issue. In particular, acid secretion inhibitors may nor contribute to long-term cure. Our aims were to ascertain whether the recurrence of bleeding because of DU could be prevented by H. pylori eradication and whether lone-term inhibition of gastric acid output is needed to prevent recurrence. Eighty-four patients (65 men; mean age, 55 .1 years), who had bled because of recurrent DU, were followed after the cu re of H. pylori infection. None of the patients were on therapy with nonste roidal antiinflammatory drugs. Successful cure of H. pylori was determined by gastroscopy, histology, and serology performed at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 m onths after the eradication treatment. A C-13 urea breath rest was performe d when the results of serology were unclear and also at recurrence of DU or bleeding. After the antibiotic treatment, 16 patients stopped all medicati ons, whereas 38 continued long-term therapy with histamine type 2 receptor antagonists. During a mean follow-up period of 47.2 months (range, 37-65 mo nths), recurrence of DU at endoscopy was observed in three patients in each group (p = 0.56), but none bled again. We conclude that H. pylori eradicat ion prevents DU recurrence and rebleeding, that reinfection rate by H. pylo ri after cure was nil at 4 years, and that lone-term inhibition of acid sec retion may not improve outcome after cure of H. pylori, even in patients wh ose DU was complicated by hemorrhage.