The Natural Course of the Reflux Esophagitis After Helicobacter pylori Eradication Therapy in Korea

The Natural Course of the Reflux Esophagitis After Helicobacter pylori Eradication Therapy in Korea Su Jin Hong, Sung Won Jung, In Seop Jung, Bong Min Ko, Chang Beom Ryu, Jin Oh Kim, Joo Young Cho, Joon Seong Lee, Moon Sung Lee, Chan Sup Shim, Boo Sung Kim Background/Aims: After successful H. pylori eradication, the development of reflux esophagitis (RE) has been reported. However, most of the studies in Korea could not demonstrate whether the incidence of RE after H. pylori eradication was increased. We performed this study to observe the development of RE after successful H. pylori eradication and to evaluate its natural course. Methods: The one hundred and twenty five patients, who had successful H. pylori eradication, were followed up during the 24 months. Also, the 125 controls with ageand sexmatched and H. pylori infection were followed up. Endoscopic observations were performed yearly or when upper gastrointestinal symptoms recurred. The assessment of RE was based on the Los Angeles Classification System. Results: RE was diagnosed in 17 (13.6%) out of the 125 patients with successful therapy and in 13 (10.4%) out of the 125 controls with ongoning infection. The patients with newly developed RE and maintenance of successful H. pylori eradication had mild disease (14 with grade A, 3 with grade B). The RE improved in 3 (17.6%) out of the 17 patients during the follow-up period. The fourteen patients among them had no interval change. Conclusion: There is no difference of the incidence of developing RE between the successful eradication group and the ongoing infection group. The RE after H. pylori eradication does not have a progression in our study.