[Prevalence and role of Helicobacter pylori infection in some gastroduodenal and hepatic complications in cirrhotic patients]

Abstract

It has been clearly established that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastric adenocarcinoma, and gastric lymphoma MALT (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue) in the general population, but data regarding the prevalence and the role of H. pylori infection in liver cirrhosis are conflicting. Most serological studies estimated a high prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with liver cirrhosis; however, when other methods (urea breath test, histology, culture, rapid urease test) were used, the overall H. pylori prevalence was similar to that in controls. Although the prevalence of both gastric ulcer (GU) and duodenal ulcer (DU) is higher in cirrhotic patients than in general population, the relationship between H. pylori infection and peptic ulcer in cirrhosis remains controversial. Our data regarding peptic ulcer prevalence in cirrhotic patients are in agreement with previous studies that suggest an increased prevalence of both GU and DU. The incidence of bleeding peptic ulcer is high in cirrhotic patients and carries an increased risk of complications or death in these patients and therefore eradication of H. pylori infection might be as effective in preventing ulcer relapse and bleeding as it is in noncirrhotic ulcer patients. Hepatic encephalopathy is a frecquent complication of liver cirrhosis, and it is widely accepted that ammonia plays a major role in its pathogenesis. The ammonia production by H. pylori urease does not increase blood ammonia levels during cirrhosis, and eradication of H. pylori infection does not affect hepatic encephalopathy status.