Alterations in upper gastrointestinal motility in Helicobacter pylori-positive nonulcer dyspepsia.

OBJECTIVE

To study the association between gastrointestinal motility and Helicobacter pylori (HP) among patients with nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD).

METHODS

We examined the gastric emptying and orocecal transit times (OCTT) in patients with NUD who were colonized with Helicobacter pylori (n = 27). NUD was defined as dyspeptic symptoms for at least 3 months in the absence of gastrointestinal pathology as seen on endoscopy and ultrasound. Subjects with diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorder, or abdominal surgery except appendectomy were excluded. The HP-negative patients with NUD (n = 38) served as controls. Solid phase gastric emptying was assessed by radionuclide scintigraphy. OCTT was determined by measuring exhaled breath hydrogen upon administration of lactulose.

RESULTS

The two groups were similar with respect to age, sex, race, and history of smoking. Gastric emptying (t1/2) was 64.96 +/- 3.61 min in the HP-negative and 61.0 +/- 6.59 in the HP-positive group (p = NS). The OCTT was 130.9 +/- 17.26 minutes in the HP-negative and 84.28 +/- 11.07 in the HP-positive group (p = 0.03). There was no difference in the prevalence of nonhydrogen producers between the two groups. There was no correlation between gastric emptying and OCTT (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

OCTT is faster among HP-positive patients with NUD than among HP-negative patients. However, gastric emptying is similar in the two groups.