H. pylori-associated Diseases
Borislav Vladimirov
from: Helicobacter pylori (Edited by: Lyudmila Boyanova). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2011)
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori plays a main role in the development of gastritis all over the world. In addition, it is well known that H. pylori infection is associated with many nonmalignant and malignant gastrointestinal and extra-gastric diseases. H. pylori remains one of the most common causes of peptic gastro-duodenal ulcers, gastric mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and gastric cancer. In recent years, many clinical data have been collected about the relationship between H. pylori infection and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug⁄acetylsalicylic acid-induced gastric injury and functional dyspepsia as well as about pathogenetic mechanisms of these correlations. There are also evidences confirming the role of genetic differences in host and bacterial factors and the role of environmental factors. Recent data have shown a decline in incidence and prevalence rate of peptic ulcer related to H. pylori. For patients with functional dyspepsia, eradication of H. pylori offers a modest but significant benefit. An inverse relationship between H. pylori infection and reflux oesophagitis, and Barrett oesophagus has been also confirmed. Despite of the controversial results, eradication of H. pylori infection has been recommended for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug- and acetylsalicylic acid-users as well as for patients treated with antiplatelet therapy. The beneficial effects of H. pylori eradication on MALT lymphoma and on the prophylaxis of gastric cancer have been proven. On the other hand, an increasing amount of evidence for extra gastric manifestation of H. pylori infection has been shown read more ...
