Relation between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastrointestinal symptoms and syndromes

• Published in: Gut 1997-08, Vol.41 (2), p.169-176
• Main Authors: Rosenstock, S, Kay, L, Rosenstock, C, Andersen, L P, Bonnevie, O, Jørgensen, T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen; Abdominal Pain - immunology; Abdominal Pain - microbiology; Adult; Adults; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Antigens; Biological and medical sciences; Dyspepsia - immunology; Dyspepsia - microbiology; epidemiology; Female; Gastritis - immunology; Gastritis - microbiology; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Gender differences; Health risk assessment; Helicobacter Infections - complications; Helicobacter Infections - immunology; Helicobacter Pylori; Helicobacter pylori - immunology; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Immunoglobulins; Incidence; Infections; Male; Medical sciences; Mens health; Middle Aged; Molecular weight; non-ulcer dyspepsia; Odds Ratio; Other diseases. Semiology; Pain; Population; Prevalence; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; symptomatology; Ulcers; Ultrasonic imaging; upper dyspepsia
• ISSN: 0017-5749; 1468-3288; 1458-3288
• DOI: 10.1136/gut.41.2.169

Background—Helicobacter pylori is a human pathogen that colonises the gastric mucosa and causes permanent gastric inflammation. Aims—To assess the symptoms of H pylori infection in an adult unselected population. Subjects—A random sample of 3589 adult Danes who were examined in 1982 and 1987 (n=2987). Methods—Abdominal symptoms within the preceding year were recorded at both attendances. Circulating IgG antibodies against H pylori in serum samples drawn in 1982 were measured by using in-house indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results—People with increased levels of IgG antibodies to H pylori were more likely than uninfected individuals to report heartburn (odds ratio (OR) = 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.54) and abdominal pain characterised by daily length (OR = 1.33, 95% CI 0.92–1.91), nocturnal occurrence (OR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.19–2.19), spring aggravation (OR = 1.68, 95% CI 0.70–4.05), and no relation to meals (OR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.43–0.91) or stress (OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.50–0.95). The inclusion of people with increased levels of IgG antibodies to H pylori, but without upper dyspepsia, at study entry significantly increased the likelihood of reporting upper dyspepsia at follow up (OR = 1.71, 95% CI 1.24–2.36). People with epigastric pain and increased levels of IgM antibodies to H pylori only indicative of acute H pylori infection were more likely to report nocturnal pain, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting. Conclusions—H pylori infection may precede the development of dyspepsia and is associated with a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms in people with no history of peptic ulcer disease.