CONTEXT: The relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastroduodenal lesions in chronic liver disease remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the evidence of the role of H. pylori infection in gastroduodenal lesions in patients with chronic liver disease. METHODS: Forty-six patients with chronic liver disease were matched with 27 dyspeptic persons for age and sex. The gastroduodenal lesions were portal hypertension gastropathy, erosion and peptic ulcer. All patients underwent upper endoscopy: two biopsies were taken in the antrum and in the gastric body. The biopsies were used for Giemsa staining. RESULTS: A gastroduodenal lesions were found in 38 (82.6%) patients with liver disease and was significantly more frequent than among controls (P = 0.002). H. pylori infection was detected at histological assessment in 13 (28.2%) patients with chronic liver disease and in 17 (62.9%) controls. The odds ratio (OR) showed an interaction statistically significant between gastroduodenal lesions and chronic liver disease (P = 0.04; OR = 5.1; 95% CI = 1.6-17.3). When adjusted for the presence of H. pylori OR was significantly with H. pylori negative (OR 13.0 IC 95%, 1.4-327.9). CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic liver disease showed higher risk of developing gastroduodenal lesions regardless of the presence of the H. pylori infection.
Helicobacter infections; Gastric mucosa; Liver diseases
