Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in patients with chronic renal failure.

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) was investigated in 164 consecutive patients with different degrees of renal function; group I (normal renal function) n = 84, group II (chronic renal failure, CLCR > or = 5 < 90 ml/min) n = 45, group III (haemodialysis therapy) n = 35, to test the hypothesis that the resulting different concentrations of urea in the gastric juice would have an influence on the colonization of the gastric mucosa by these urea-splitting bacteria. As every individual method for the detection of H. pylori shows disadvantages, the results of the detection methods used (urease test, Warthin-Starry stain, bacterial cultivation, direct examination of the processed sample by phase-contrast microscopy) were combined in a cumulative evaluation. These calculated cumulative indices for the antrum and corpus showed no statistically significant differences between the studied groups. The prevalence of H. pylori ranged from 34 to 54%. The histopathological findings were similar in all groups. In spite of the fact that patients with renal dysfunction had significantly higher levels of serum gastrin (P < 0.05), there was no influence on the gastric juice pH value. The relationship between the cumulative index and ammonia concentration in gastric juice was found to be linear (P < 0.05). The higher urea levels in the blood and gastric juice of patients with renal failure do not seem to be a risk factor for infection with H. pylori.