Gastric Atrophy, Intestinal Metaplasia in Helicobacter pylori Gastritis: Prevalence and Predictors Factors

Gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia represent the most important premalignant lesions in gastric carcinogenesis. The severity of gastric mucosal inflammation depends on the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (HP), on the host and on environmental factors. The aim of our study is to determine the prevalence and factors associated with Gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori. Methods: This is a prospective study over a period of 4 years (May 2009 - January 2015) conducted in the service of Hepatology and Gastroenterology in hospital university Hassan II of Fez in collaboration with microbiology and molecular biology laboratory and epidemiology service of Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy Fes. We included in our study all patients aged over 15 years, having ulcerative dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disease, gastritis or esophagitis. Results: During the study period, 1190 patients were included of which 70% had HP infection (N = 833). The average age was 48.21 years [16 - 99 years], sex ratio M/F was 1, 11. 60% of patients were older than 45 years. Chronic smoking was found in 12% of patients. Gastric atrophy was observed in 84% (N = 699) of patients infected with HP. Gastric atrophy was localized in 70% in the antrum and 30% in the fundus and 24% in both. The activity of gastritis (p = 0.0001) and the density of the HP (p = 0.005) were factors associated with atrophy. Intestinal metaplasia was observed in 13.5% of patients (N = 112). The density of HP (p = 0.037) and severe atrophy (p = 0.001) were factors associated with metaplasia. Other factors studied: age, sex, smoking, CagA+ genotype were not associated with either gastric atrophy or intestinal metaplasia. Conclusion: In our study, the prevalence of atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori was 84% and 13.5% respectively, which was a high prevalence. The activity of gastritis, and density of HP were factors associated with atrophy. The density of HP and severe atrophy were factors associated with metaplasia.

Prevalence of <i>Helicobacter pylori</i>and the Interest of Its Eradication during the Functional Dyspepsia

Functional dyspepsia constitutes by its impact in quality of life and socio-economic impact areal public health problem (40% of the adult population in the Western world). The prevalence of infection with Helicobacter pylori (HP) in patients with functional dyspepsia is about 30% - 70%. The aim of our study is to observe the improvement of functional dyspepsia (FD) after Helicobacter pylori (HP) eradication. Methods: This is a prospective study over a period of 68 months (May 2009 - January 2015). We included all patients aged over 15 years, with functional dyspepsia defined by the Rome III criteria. The diagnosis of HP was made by histology and/or PCR. Patients infected with HP were treated in single-blind: standard triple therapy for 7 days or sequential treatment for 10 days. HP eradication control was made after: 3 months, 6 months and one year of treatment. Results: During the study period, 1190 patients were included of which 250 patients (21%) were in functional dyspepsia according to the Rome III criteria. The average age in patients with functional dyspepsia was 49 years [16 - 80], sex ratio M/F was 0.58 (N = 92/158). 60% of patients were older than 45 years (N = 150). Chronic smoking was found in 20% of patients (N = 50). One hundred and seventy five patients (70%) had HP infection (N = 175). One hundred and sixty five patients received the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (94.28%), 10 patients were lost to follow (5.71%). The eradication of HP was obtained in 98.41% with sequential treatment versus 88.73% with standard triple therapy (p = 0.026). All patients were reviewed at 3 months and 6 months after treatment, 86% were reviewed at 12 months (N = 143). Dyspeptic symptoms was disappeared in 43% of our patients (N = 71) partial disappearance of symptoms in 34.5% of cases (N = 57) persistence of symptoms in 22.42% of cases (N = 37). Conclusion: In our study the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with functional dyspepsia is high: 70%. Sequential therapy is better than the standard triple therapy in the eradication of HP in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia, which improves their symptoms in more than 50% of cases.