OBJECTIVES: Gastric cancer is one of the most important malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. High salt intake has been suggested as a risk factor of gastric cancer and promoting Helicobacter pylori infection. Few studies have been addressed about the relation between excessive salt intake and gastric cancer. This study was performed to investigate the relation of high salt intake to H. pylori infection and gastric cancer. METHODS: Between May 1996 and July 1997, hospitalized patients with epigastric pain or dyspepsia were prospectively recruited. Patients with underlying diseases which could reduce kidney function were excluded. Salt consumption was estimated by the urine sodium to creatinine ratio(U-Na/Cr) on fresh single urine sample. Gastric cancer was diagnosed by endoscopic biopsies. H. pylori infection was evaluated by CLOtest. Gastric cancer was classified histologically by Lauren classification. RESULTS: Ninety seven patients, 52 patients with gastric cancer and 45 patients with chronic gastritis were enrolled. There was no statistically significant difference in the sodium to creatinine ratio between gastric cancer group (173.60+/-123, range; 21-665.2) and chronic gastritis group (164.02+/-138, range; 20.4-482.7) (p=0.361). In gastric cancer, the sodium to creatinine ratio was not different between CLOtest positive and negative group (p=0.201), and among intestinal, diffuse and mixed type (p=0.419), either. CONCLUSION: This study does not support the causal relation of high salt diet on gastric carcinogenesis. There is no significant difference in H. pylori infection rate between CLOtest positive group and negative group.
Biopsy ; Carcinogenesis ; Classification ; Creatinine ; Diet ; Dyspepsia ; Gastritis ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Sodium ; Stomach Neoplasms*