Non-Helicobacter pylori bacterial flora during acid-suppressive therapy: differential findings in gastric juice and gastric mucosa

Abstract

Background: Intragastric growth of non-Helicobacter pylori bacteria commonly occurs during acid-suppressive therapy. The long-term clinical consequences are still unclear.

Aim: To investigate the luminal and mucosal bacterial growth during gastric acid inhibition, in relation to the type and duration of acid-inhibitory treatment, as well as to concomitant H. pylori infection.

Methods: A total of 145 patients on continuous acid inhibition with either proton pump inhibitors (n=109) or histamine2-receptor antagonists (H(2)RAs, n=36) for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, and 75 dyspeptic patients without acid inhibition (control group) were included. At endoscopy, fasting gastric juice was obtained for pH measurement and bacteriological culture. Gastric biopsy specimens were examined for detection of H. pylori (immunohistochemistry) and of non-H. pylori bacteria (modified Giemsa stain-positive and immunohistochemistry-negative at the same location).

Results: Non-H. pylori flora was detected in the gastric juice of 92 (41.8%) patients and in the gastric mucosa of 109 (49.6%) patients. In gastric juice, prevalence rate for non-H. pylori bacteria was higher in patients taking proton pump inhibitors than controls and those taking H(2)RAs (58.7% vs. 22.6% and vs. 30.6%, P < 0.0001 and P < 0.003, respectively), but did not differ statistically between H(2)RAs and controls. In gastric mucosa, prevalence rates for non-H. pylori bacteria were higher in patients taking proton pump inhibitors and H(2)RAs than in the controls (antrum: 46.9% and 48.6% vs. 25%, P < 0.05 for both; corpus: 52.2% and 56.8% vs. 23.7%, P < 0.001 for both), but did not differ between proton pump inhibitors and H(2)RAs. Both luminal and mucosal growth of non-H. pylori bacteria were significantly greater in H. pylori-positive than -negative patients taking proton pump inhibitors (P < 0.05 for both). Luminal growth of non-H. pylori flora increased with the intragastric pH level, whilst mucosal bacterial growth increased with the duration of acid inhibition.

Conclusions: Non-H. pylori flora not only contaminates the gastric juice but also colonizes the gastric mucosa of a large proportion of patients treated long-term with acid inhibition. The relationship between H. pylori and non-H. pylori bacteria in the pathogenesis of atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer needs further elucidation.