Helicobacter pylori and impaired gastric secretory functions associated with duodenal ulcer and atrophic gastritis

Abstract Previous study showed that duodenal ulcer (DU) patients infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) have increased basal and pentagastrin- or GRP-induced gastric acid secretion and that these disturbances reversed fully after eradication of H. pylori. This study was designed to compare the gastric acid secretory profile, plasma gastrin levels and growth factors (EGF and TGF alpha) expression in gastric mucosa in DU patients with those in atrophic gastritis patients before and six months after verified eradication of H. pylori. In DU patients, basal and stimulated (GRP and pentagastrin) gastric acid secretion was significantly higher than in healthy controls. Six months following the eradication of H. pylori with triple therapy (omeprazole+clarithromycin+amoxicillin), this secretion returned to normal value. In contrast, in patients with atrophic gastritis, such eradication of H. pylori resulted in a significant increase in basal and pentagastrin- and GRP-stimulated acid secretion. Mucosal expression of immunoreactive EGF and TGF alpha was significantly enhanced in H. pylori positive DU and atrophic gastritis patients but this elevation disappeared or was markedly decreased 6 months upon the eradication of H. pylori. We conclude that 1) H. pylori infection is accompanied both in DU and atrophic gastritis patients by an enhanced plasma gastrin and increased mucosal expression of EGF and TGF alpha, 2) basal and GRP-induced acid secretion is significantly elevated in DU, whereas that in atrophic gastritis patients is greatly reduced, and 3) the H. pylori eradication restores gastric acid and plasma gastrin release as well as the mucosal expression of growth factors in DU and atrophic gastritis.