Short report: twenty-four-hour hyperpepsinogenaemia in Helicobacter pylori-positive subjects is abolished by eradication of the infection.

Twenty-four-hour plasma pepsinogen I and II concentrations were determined in 8 healthy subjects with antibody to Helicobacter pylori, before and after treatment with tripotassium dicitrato bismuthate, amoxycillin and metronidazole, Therapy was successful in the 5 subjects with active H. pylori infection. In these subjects, median integrated 24-h plasma pepsinogen I and II concentrations significantly decreased from 2288 and 357 micrograms.h/L before treatment, respectively, to 1811 and 171 micrograms.h/L at 4-6 weeks after treatment, and 1643 and 150 micrograms.h/L at 20-24 weeks. By contrast, in the 3 subjects without evidence of active H. pylori infection, pre-treatment plasma pepsinogen I and II concentrations were similar to values found in the H. pylori-infected subjects after successful therapy, and they did not change significantly in response to therapy. H. pylori infection is associated with reversible hyperpepsinogenaemia.