Beneficial effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication in dermatologic diseases

Background. A relationship between skin diseases, particularly rosacea and chronic urticaria, and H. pylori infection has been suggested. Methods. We preformed a prospective evaluation of the effect of H. pylori e radication in patients with a variety of chronic skin diseases. Patients we re followed monthly for at least one year after cure of the infection. The effect of therapy was scored using a three point scale: complete remission (> 90% improvement), partial remission (50-90% improvement) or no improveme nt (< 50 improvement). The relationship between response and anti-H. pylori Ig G and E to specific H. pylori antigens was analyzed by Western blot ana lysis. Results. Eighty-eight H. pylori-infected patients with skin disease were en rolled. Treatment was successful in 73% of patients with chronic urticaria as 23% (6 of 26) had complete and 50% had partial remission. Sixty-two perc ent (18 of 29) with pruritus cutaneus had partial remission as well as 30% with prurigo chronica multiformis had complete remission. Western blotting was done on 24 patients with skin disease and a 44K H. pylori antigen was d etected by Ig E analysis in 100% (5 of 5) patients with complete remission compared to 23% (3 of 13) in those without skin disease. Conclusions. These results suggest it may be prudent to test patients with chronic urticaria, prurigo chronica multiformis, pruritus cutaneus, and ecz ema nummulare for H. pylori infection and to eradicate the infection in tho se whose test is positive.