Non-ulcer dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori infection--morphological analysis according to the Sydney system--changes before and after treatment.

Non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) means the presence of upper abdominal pain and discomfort and also nausea, vomiting, flatulence, heartburn and belching. It is estimated, that about 20-30% of all patients refer to a doctor because of dyspeptic symptoms. Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infections are diagnosed in about 60% of persons with NUD and in 80-100% of patients with clinical, endoscopic and histological diagnosis of gastritis. The authors decided to investigate a correlation between gastritis and Hp infection and a relationship between the influence of antibacterial therapy and Hp eradication from gastric mucus and to observe gastric mucosa condition. We examined 73 patients (range age 16-73): 40 females and 33 males. We employed the Sydney System for evaluation of gastric mucosa condition. The patients were divided into two groups: Hp-positive 50 persons and Hp-negative-23 persons. Hp infected subjects were treated with antibacterial drugs (bismuth + metronidazol + amoxycillin or bismuth + metronidazol + tetracycline) and Hp-negative only with bismuth. Hp eradication was obtained in 72.7% of patients treated with bismuth + metronidazol + amoxycillin and 76.4% of persons treated with bismuth + metronidazol + tetracycline. A statistically significant difference between these two kinds of antibacterial therapy was not noted. Both methods are equally effective. We observed also and improvement of the histological state of antrum and corpus gastric mucosa after therapy in comparison to changes before treatment. We noticed a decrease of dyspeptic complaint in 89.2% of Hp infected persons in whom Hp had been eradicated. Among Hp-negative 23 patients gastric mucosa was normal in 30% and chronic gastritis was found in 70% of subjects. Based upon the present results it seems very important and suitable to detect Hp organisms in gastric mucus of all dyspeptic patients who are endoscopically examined and biopsied at the same time. We would suggest to do an urease test and to take histological samples together with full endoscopic examination according to the Sydney System guidelines.