Helicobacter pylori infection in chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura patients in Malaysia.

INTRODUCTION

Helicobacter Pylori has been implicated with a possible link to immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) and studies have shown contradicting results in platelet recovery after eradication of H pylori infection.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of H pylori infection in adult ITP patients in Malaysia and to examine the effect of eradication of H pylori infection in these patients.

METHOD

50 ITP adult patients from haematology clinics were recruited. A 13C urea breath test for H. pylori infection was performed in all patients. Those with H. pylori infection were treated with standard eradication regimen. Platelet counts were monitored regularly after eradication therapy to assess response. Complete response (CR) was defined as the achievement of platelet counts of >150x10(9)/L within 3 months after eradication therapy and partial response (PR) was defined as platelet count above 50x10(9)/L and/or at least doubling the baseline count.

RESULT

The median age of patients recruited was 50 years. The majority of patients were female (76%). Chinese was the largest ethnic groups (56%) followed by Malays (28%) and Indians (16%). 11 of the 50 patients (22%) were found to have H. pylori infection and all but one had eradication therapy. Overall, some response was observed in 3 patients (30%) with a CR seen in 2 patients and PR in one patient. However, all these patients had a drop in their platelet counts at 6th month follow up.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of H. pylori infection is relatively low in our adult ITP patients (22%) and by eradicating the infection did not have any sustained effect in the platelet recovery.