OBJECTIVEThis article aimed to review the incidence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and its therapy.

DATA SOURCESRelevant articles published in English were identified by searching in PubMed from 2000 to 2013, with keywords "H. pylori". Important references from selected articles were also retrieved from Elsevier, Wiley, EBSCO, and SPRINGER. The Chinese articles published were searched from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI).

STUDY SELECTIONArticles about "prevalence", "gastric carcinoma", "peptic ulcer", "gastroesophageal reflux disease", "functional dyspepsia", "pathogenic mechanism", "therapy", "eradication rate", "antibiotic resistance", and "gene polymorphisms" were selected.

RESULTSThe decreased infection rates of H. pylori could also be linked to the changed disease spectrum, such as the decreased morbidity and recurrence rate of H. pylori-related peptic ulcer, and the increased morbidity of gastroesophageal reflux. Although different treatment regimens have been used for H. pylori infection, the H. pylori eradication rate declined gradually. Due to primary resistance to antibiotics, the gene polymorphism of host and infected strain, and the therapy regimes, H. pylori eradication became even more difficult.

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of H. pylori infection had been decreasing, but the rate of eradication failure has dramatically risen in many countries due to resistance to antibiotic. H. pylori therapy in clinical practice is becoming progressively more difficult.

Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; genetics ; Helicobacter Infections ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; Helicobacter pylori ; drug effects ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo confirm whether eradication of H. pylori is associated with the occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

METHODSWe searched multiple medical databases for published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from 2000 to 2012 comparing the incidence of GERD in adult patients receiving H. pylori treatment and those without treatment. The effects of H. pylori eradication were analyzed by calculating the pooled estimates for the number of new cases of GERD. Each racial subgroup of patients was analyzed using risk ratio (RR) by fixed effects models. The publication bias was assessed with funnel plot, Egger and Begg's test.

RESULTSSixteen eligible RCTs were finally included in the analysis. Statistically analysis suggested H. pylori eradication was significantly correlated with the occurrence of GERD (RR 1.89, 95% CI 1.50-2.40). Funnel plot, Egger or Begg's test revealed no publication bias.

CONCLUSIONH. pylori may have a positive effect on GERD especially in Asian patients and those with long-term follow-up, and eradication of H. pylori may cause GERD.

Gastroesophageal Reflux ; epidemiology ; etiology ; microbiology ; Helicobacter Infections ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of resistance of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) to metronidazole (MTZ) and the distribution change of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in H. pylori from local children, evaluate the applicability of E-test for MIC determination, and display the propensity of acquired-resistance to MTZ after induction of resistance in vitro.

METHODSOne group of 44 H. pylori isolates obtained from Oct. 2002 to Nov. 2003 and another 83 H. pylori isolates obtained from Dec. 2004 to Jul. 2005 from the local children who underwent gastroscopy in the Children's Hospital affiliated to Zhejiang University Medical School and were diagnosed as H. pylori-associated gastritis or peptic ulcer were studied. Susceptibility was tested by agar dilution method or E-test method. In 11 randomly selected metronidazole-sensitive isolates (MTZ(S)), resistance was induced in vitro with MTZ.

RESULTSThe resistance rate was 31.8% (14/44) in the 44-islates obtained from Oct. 2002 to Nov. 2003 and 51.8% (43/83) (chi(2) = 4.64, P < 0.05) in 83-isolates obtained from Dec. 2004 to Jul. 2005, respectively. The distribution of MICs were < 0.125 - 128 mg/L and 0.25- > 256 mg/L, in which, the MIC(50) was 0.5 mg/L and 16 mg/L, the MIC(90) was 128 mg/L, respectively. Comparing to agar dilution method which is recommended by National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) for MIC, E-test was significantly associated with agar dilution method (chi(2) = 32.38, P < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, agreement rate of E-test were 73.08%, 100%, 87.27%, respectively, while there were factors of 2(2) to 2(6) difference in MICs between the results obtained by E-test and agar dilution. For all the 11 MTZ(S) isolates inducted resistance in vitro with MTZ, 16 MICs were achieved through 7 - 9 (7.2 +/- 0.6) passages of induction in vitro, and 100% acquired-resistance to MTZ through 8 - 10 generations; as a result, 10 of 11 MTZ(S) isolates achieved stable high-level resistance (256 mg/L for 2 and > 256 mg/L for 8) and 1 stable 64 mg/L resistance to MTZ.

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of resistance to MTZ seems to be increasing in H. pylori from local children. To avoid missed diagnosis of H. pylori resistant to MTZ (MTZ(R)), agar dilution method was needed when detecting susceptibility of H. pylori to MTZ. Resistance to MTZ of H. pylori from children is readily induced in vitro.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Child ; Helicobacter Infections ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; Helicobacter pylori ; drug effects ; Humans ; Metronidazole ; pharmacology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Korea was believed to be low until now. Korea is now believed to be on the evolving stage of GERD in its' prevalence. The aims of this study were to evaluate the epidemiologic and clinicopathologic characteristics among the subgroups of GERD i.e. non-erosive GERD (NERD), erosive GERD (ERD) and Barrett's esophagus (BE), and the role of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in the pathogenesis of GERD. METHODS: A total of 253 patients with typical symptoms of GERD who underwent EGD were enrolled from October 2002 to January 2004. Patients were grouped as NERD, ERD or BE based on the symptoms and endoscopic findings. BE was histologically confirmed if necessary. Various clinical parameters including the status of H. pylori infection were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 253 patients, 106 patients were classified as NERD while 116 and 31 patients were classified as ERD and BE group respectively. BE and ERD group showed no gender predilection while NERD showed female preponderance (2.31:1, p<0.05). NERD group were younger (49.57 y.o.) than BE (57.87 y.o.) and ERD (52.30 y.o.) group. About three quarters of the patients of erosive esophagitis were LA-A (74.2%) grade. This suggests the mild nature of erosive esophagitis in Korea. ERD showed significantly higher BMI (kg/m2) compared to NERD (p<0.05). Hiatal hernia was frequently associated with BE and ERD (p<0.05), but less frequently in NERD. Overall H. pylori positivity among GERD was significantly lower than the age and gender matched control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Subgroups of GERD in Korea showed different epidemiologic and clinical characteristics. Lower rate of H. pylori infection among GERD group may reflect the protective role of H. pylori infection regarding GERD prevalence in Korea.
Aged ; Barrett Esophagus/diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux/diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology ; Helicobacter Infections/*complications/drug therapy/epidemiology ; *Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) eradication therapy on prognosis in children with Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP).

METHODSA total of 153 children with HSP were divided into Hp infection treatment group (n=22), Hp infection control group (n=21), and Hp infection-negative group (n=110). The Hp infection treatment group received one-week triple therapy for Hp eradication in addition to conventional treatment, while the Hp infection control group and Hp infection-negative group received conventional treatment. All patients were followed up for prognostic evaluation.

RESULTSThe response rates of the Hp infection treatment, control, and negative groups were 86% (19/22), 90% (19/21) and 85% (94/110), respectively (P>0.05). The recurrence rates of HSP in the Hp infection treatment, control, and negative groups were 14% (3/22), 24% (5/21) and 31% (34/110), respectively (P>0.05). The incidence of Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) in the Hp infection-negative group (36%, 40/110) and control group (33%, 7/21) was significantly higher than that in the Hp infection treatment group (5%, 1/22) (P<0.05 for both), but no significant difference in the incidence of HSPN was found between the control and negative groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSOne-week triple therapy for Hp eradication may be useful to reduce the incidence of HSPN in children with HSP infected with Hp.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections ; complications ; drug therapy ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Prognosis ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Recurrence

No abstract available.
Female ; Helicobacter Infections/*drug therapy ; *Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Male ; Patient Readmission/*statistics & numerical data ; Peptic Ulcer/*epidemiology ; Time-to-Treatment/*statistics & numerical data

Dyspepsia refers to group of commonly occurring upper gastrointestinal symptoms. The majority of patients with dyspepsia suffer from functional (nonulcer) dyspepsia. Although there is a lack of epidemiological data from population-based or patient cohort studies in Korea, the current understanding of this condition has been updated using data from various recent research studies, which have facilitated the development of clinical guidelines for functional dyspepsia. According to a survey using the Rome III criteria, more than 40% of respondents who visited primary clinics and tertiary hospitals were defined as having functional dyspepsia, most of who were within a subgroup of patients with postprandial distress syndrome. In addition, a population-based cross-sectional survey revealed considerable overlap between functional dyspepsia and other functional gastrointestinal disorders, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (especially nonerosive reflux disease) and irritable bowel syndrome. In contrast to the results of Western trials, there is insufficient evidence to recommend a Helicobacter pylori test-and-treat strategy as an initial management approach to functional dyspepsia in Korea, suggesting the need for early endoscopic evaluation. Additional studies are necessary to adjust the cutoff age for implementation of immediate endoscopic evaluation of patients without alarm symptoms. Considering the prevalence of H. pylori infection and the limited efficacy of symptomatic relief after its eradication, further well-qualified studies in Korea are warranted.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; *Dyspepsia/diagnosis/epidemiology/microbiology/therapy ; Early Diagnosis ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; *Helicobacter Infections/diagnosis/drug therapy/epidemiology/microbiology ; Helicobacter pylori/*pathogenicity ; Humans ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors

Although it is debatable whether Helicobacter pylori may play a role in the pathogenesis of rosacea, some authors suggested that the treatment of H. pylori might have a beneficial effect. The aim of this investigation was to compare the prevalence of H. pylori between rosacea patients and controls, and to evaluate an effect of H. pylori eradication on rosecea by a 2-week triple therapy that was composed of amoxicillin, clarithromycin and omeprazole. H. pylori was detected by using gastroscopic biopsy with Warthin-Starry stain. Forty-two (84%) of 50 patients with rosacea and 39 (78%) of 50 controls had H. pylori, showing no significant difference in prevalence. The cure rates of H. pylori in rosacea patients and controls were 80% (16/20) and 85% (17/20), respectively. There was no significant decrease in the intensity of erythema in active treatment and placebo groups both during and after the treatment. Temporary improvement in papulopustules exclusively during the treatment (within 2 weeks) could be independent of H. pylori eradication. Overall, no significant reduction in the number of papulopustules was observed in active treatment and placebo groups after the treatment (in 2 months). Taken together, our study found no significant lessening of rosacea lesions by treating H. pylori infection, which conclusively does not concur with a view that H. pylori may be related to rosacea.
Acne Rosacea/microbiology* ; Acne Rosacea/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Amoxicillin/administration & dosage ; Anti-Ulcer Agents/administration & dosage ; Antibiotics, Macrolide/administration & dosage ; Biopsy ; Clarithromycin/administration & dosage ; Cohort Studies ; Erythema/microbiology ; Erythema/epidemiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Helicobacter Infections/pathology ; Helicobacter Infections/epidemiology* ; Helicobacter Infections/drug therapy* ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Omeprazole/administration & dosage ; Penicillins/administration & dosage ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been reported to be lower in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in some Western countries. We investigated H. pylori infection in Korean patients with IBD and any possible associations of H. pylori infection with drug therapy for IBD and the phenotype of Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: We studied 316 unselected patients with IBD, including 169 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 147 with CD, and the control group consisted of 316 age- and gender-matched healthy people who received a comprehensive medical examination for a regular checkup purpose. Infection rates of H. pylori as detected by the urea breath test were compared between the IBD patients and the controls. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference in H. pylori infection rate was noticed between the IBD patients (25.3%) and the controls (52.5%; p<0.001), and between UC (32.0%) and CD patients (17.7%; p=0.04). Among the IBD patients, the age group of <60 and individuals with a history of taking metronidazole (13.0%; p=0.038) or ciprofloxacin (6.7%; p=0.001) were found to have a meaningfully lower infection rate, but those who did not take antibiotics still showed H. pylori infection rate significantly lower than the controls (CD 22.0% vs. UC 33.8% vs. Control 52.5%, p<0.001). With an exception of age, phenotypic characteristics showed no significant relations with H. pylori infection rate in CD patients. CONCLUSIONS: Korean patients with IBD, particularly CD, were found to have a significantly lower H. pylori infection rate than the controls. This association was more evident in those <60 years old, which suggested that H. pylori infection might be deemed to lower possible risks of IBD in younger adults.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Colitis, Ulcerative/complications/diagnosis/drug therapy ; Crohn Disease/complications/diagnosis/drug therapy ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections/complications/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; *Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/*complications/diagnosis/drug therapy ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phenotype ; Prevalence

The efficacy of seven-day clarithromycin-based standard triple therapy (STT) for Helicobacter pylori has decreased in Korea over the past decade. The aim of this meta-analysis was to clarify the efficacy of first-line and second-line therapies in Korea. This systematic review will provide an overview of H. pylori eradication and present new therapeutic strategies used in Korea. An extensive search of the literature concerning STT, sequential therapy (SET), concomitant therapy (CT), bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (BCQT) and various other therapies used in Korea was performed. All selected studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Eighteen RCTs were eligible for systematic review. The alternative regimens comparing seven-day STT as a first-line therapy include SET, CT, levofloxacin-based therapy (LBT), BCQT, and STT with prolonged duration. The results of the meta-analysis suggest that SET is superior to seven-day STT. The overall eradication rate by intention to treat (ITT) analysis was 69.8% for STT and 79.7% for SET. The overall eradication rate by per-protocol (PP) analysis was 77.0% for STT and 85.0% for SET. The odds ratios for the ITT and PP eradication rate were 0.57 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43 to 0.74) and 0.52 (95% CI, 0.35 to 0.76), respectively. In the subgroup analysis, however, there were no significant differences between SET and STT with prolonged durations. Alternative regimens to seven-day BCQT as second-line therapy include LBT, moxifloxacin-based therapy and 14-day BCQT. The eradication rates of these alternative regimens were not superior to that of the conventional treatment. SET is superior to seven-day STT but not to STT with prolonged duration.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/*administration & dosage/classification ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections/*drug therapy/*epidemiology/microbiology ; Helicobacter pylori/*drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Practice Patterns, Physicians'/*statistics & numerical data ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Assessment ; Treatment Outcome