Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients of peptic ulcer among Korean people

Cho, Jung Jin

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection is thought to be an important factor in the pathogenesis af gastric and duodenal ulcer. But in Korea, there are few studies on the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in peptic ulcer patients and their relationship between the location of ulcers and Helicobacter pylori infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence af Helicobacter pylori infection of gastric and duodenal ulcer patients in Korea and the relationship between the location of ulcers and Helicobacter pylori infection.
METHODS
We studied 476 consecutive patients with duodenal ulcers or benign gastric ulcer which were diagnased by gastrofiberscopy in Family Medicine of Hanil Hospital from January 1995 to December 1998. Helicobacter pylori infection was evaluated with rapid urease test ( CLO test) in 72.7% patients.
RESULTS
The test rate of CLO test was not significantly different by sex, age and site of gastric ulcer lesions, but test rate in the gastric ulcer was significantly lower than in the duodenal ulcer. The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection diagnosed with CLO test was 90.1%. The prevalence cf Helicobacter pylori infection was not significantly different between rnales and females. Also it was also not significantly different according to age. 90.8% of those with gastric ulcer patients and 88.9% of the duodenal ulcer had Helicobacter pylori infection, but the difference was not significant. 94.6% of gastric ulcers located in only one area had Helicobacter pylori infection, compared to 83.6% of gastric ulcers which was located in multiple areas. The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection was significantly lower in patients who had lesions located in multiple areas.
CONCLUSIONS
We condude that the majurity of peptic ulcer patients in Korea have Helicobacter pylori infection. Gastric uker located in multiple areas had significantly lower prevalence af Helicobacter pylori infection, which may suggest that gastric ulcers in multiple areas have other etiologic factors.