Difference of Helicobacter pylori colonization in recurrent inflammatory and simple hyperplastic tonsil tissues.

Objective To investigate the difference in colonization by Helicobacter pylori between recurrent inflammatory and normal hyperplastic human palatine tonsil tissues. Design A retrospective review of a prospective data set. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Patients undergoing tonsillectomy for a variety of reasons had routine screening for H pylori . Medical records of all patients who underwent tonsillectomy were reviewed to identify (1) indications for surgery and (2) presence or absence of H pylori in the specimen. All medical records that had information on H pylori were included. Patients were divided into the following 2 groups: those having tonsillectomy for chronic recurrent tonsillitis and those having tonsillectomy for sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBDs) with no recent history of tonsillitis. Results There were 44 patients in the tonsillitis group (18 women and 26 men; mean age, 28.6 years) and 50 patients in the SRBD group (11 women and 39 men; mean age, 33.6 years). Of 94 patients the Pronto Dry test results were positive in 33 (35%) and negative in 61 (65%). The H pylori positive rates in the tonsillitis and SRBD groups were 48% (21 of 44) and 24% (12 of 50), respectively ( P Conclusions Helicobacter pylori can colonize in human palatine tonsil tissues. A significantly higher positive H pylori rate was present in the tonsillitis group (48%) compared with the SRBD group (24%). Based on this finding, future studies should be performed to elucidate whether eradication therapy for H pylori is effective in decreasing recurrent inflammation of human palatine tonsils.