Abstract

Objective: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is implicated in the etiology of gastric and duodenal ulcer, non-ulcer dyspepsia, atrophic gastritis, gastric adenocarcinoma and mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALToma). The aim of our study is to evaluate the prevalance of H. pylori infection in patients with benign gastroduodenal diseases.

Material and Methods: H. pylori infection was evaluated retrospectively with the urease test in 4714 patients with benign gastroduodenal disorders who applied to the endoscopy unit of Trakya University Hospital, the only University hospital in the Trakya region, between November 2003 and October 2007 with dyspeptic complaints.

Results: Overall, the rapid urease test was positive in 52.8% of cases. Helicobacter pylori was positive in 65% of the bulbar ulcer, 61% of the erosive bulbitis, 60.2% of the gastric ulcer and, 48.4% of the gastritis patients. (p<0.001). H. pylori positivity was 52% in Trakya born patients, 56.3% in immigrants from Anatolia and 48.7% in immigrants from Europe (p=0.02). H. pylori positivity frequencies in women and men were 52.2% and 53.2%, respectively (p=0.52). Urease test positivity was significantly more frequent in patients 30-60 years of age compared to the groups younger than 30 or older than 60.

Conclusion: The epidemiologic characteristics of H. pylori infection shows features of both Turkey and neighbouring countries of Europe