Association between H. Pylori and Urticaria or Gastritis

Abstract

Background: Studies have established that Helicobacter pylori can cause chronic gastritis.

Recent evidence suggests that Helicobacter pylori infections play a great role in the pathogenesis

of a variety of skin diseases, the best evidence for such a link is found for two diseases; chronic

urticaria and immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Objectives: the current study is aiming at evaluating the relationship between H. pylori among

patients with different cutaneous problems mainly chronic urticaria by using immunological

methods. On the other hand the study is aiming at verifying the effect of treatment on the

prevalence of disease.

Materials and Methods: 119 Specimens (blood and stool samples) were obtained. Serum was

stored at -20°C until used. Stool was collected in clean container and tested immediately.

Specimens were processed by Serum ICT (ACCURATE, diagnostic use, china) and Stool

Antigen ICT KITS (CERTEST BIOTEC S.L.) for detection of H. pylori. Significance tests,

measures of accuracy and confidence intervals were calculated using the biomedical Stats Direct

Statistical Software v2.7.9 (7/9/2012). IBM SPSS Statistics v22 was used in the descriptive data

analysis.

Results and discussion: H. Pylori infection was detected in about half of the patients who

suffered from either urticaria or gastritis. The prevalence of H. Pylori was estimated in the three

groups as 48.3% (CI: 35.2% to 61.6%); in the urticaria group, 51.7% (CI: 32.5% to 70.6%); in

the gastritis group and 13.3% (CI: 3.8% to 30.7%) in the apparently healthy group (labelled

‘Normal’). Proportions of H. Pylori infection in the urticaria and the gastritis groups were not

NMJ June 2015 vol.3 No.16 ISSN 1858-6155

NMJ 2015

statistically significantly different. Both groups, however, had a significantly different proportion

of HP infected patients when compared with the apparently healthy (Normal) group. This

statistically significant difference was suggestive of an association between H. Pylori and both of

urticaria and gastritis.