Relationship between helicobacter pylori infection and endoscopic findings among patients with dyspepsia in north central, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: There is a dearth of reports on the prevalence rate of Helicobacter pylori from the North-Central zone of Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection and its association with gastro-duodenal pathologies in patients presenting with dyspepsia in a tertiary hospital in North-Central Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: One hundred and forty eight adult patients with dyspepsia underwent oesophagogastroduodenoscopy. Antral and corporal biopsy specimens were collected for histological examination. Diagnosis of H. pylori infection was made if Helicobacter-like organisms were identified in the processed specimens using Haematoxilin and Eosin, and Giemsa stains.

Results: Of the 148 subjects studied, 68 (46.0%) were males and 80 (54.0%) females. The age range was 18 to 80 years with a mean of 49.5 ±15.1 years. H. pylori infection was found in 70 (47.3%) patients. Gastritis was the commonest endoscopic finding, 52 (35.1%). Others included: gastroduodenitis 42 (28.4%), normal findings 20 (13.5%), gastric cancer 11 (7.4%), duodenal ulcer 10 (6.8%), gastric ulcer 4 (2.7%) and gastroduodenal polyps 4 (2.7%). Twenty (38.5%) of the 52 patients with gastritis were infected with H. pylori compared to 27 (64.3%)
of the 42 patients with gastroduodenitis. Seven (35.0%) of the 20 patients who had normal endoscopic findings tested positive for H. pylori infection.

Conclusion: H. pylori infection has a moderately high prevalence among dyspeptic patients in Ilorin, irrespective of the gastroduodenal pathology seen at endoscopy. The association between H. pylori infection and endoscopic gastroduodenitis and histologic gastritis was significant (p=0.01 and 0.0006 respectively).

Keywords: Helicobacter pylori, Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy, Gastroduodenitis