Helicobacter pylori infection in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Studies on the relationship between high serum urea nitrogen, creatinine and Helicobacter pylori infection in hemodialysis patients still give conflicting results. In the present study we investigated the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori positivity in patients with hemodialysis [HD(+)] and without hemodialysis [HD(-)] and assessed the relationship between clinical factors, serum urea nitrogen, creatinine levels and Helicobacter pylori prevalence in these patients.

METHODOLOGY

117 patients with dyspeptic complaints were included in the study. They consisted of 36 HD(+) patients (31%) and 81 HD(-) patients (69%). Endoscopy was performed and gastric antral biopsies were obtained for immunohistochemical analysis for Helicobacter pylori in all patients.

RESULTS

Helicobacter pylori was positive in 53(45%) of 117 patients [Hp(+)]. In univariate analysis Hp(+) patients received hemodialysis therapy significantly less often (P = 0.002) and had lower serum urea nitrogen (P = 0.0008) and creatinine (P = 0.003) levels than Hp(-) patients. There was no significant difference in age, gender, endoscopic findings or comorbid conditions (hypertension or diabetes mellitus) between these groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that only the serum urea nitrogen level was significantly associated with Helicobacter pylori prevalence (P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that high serum urea nitrogen seems to correlate with a low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and hemodialysis patients with high serum urea nitrogen may be protected against Helicobacter pylori infection.