Aim: To study the influence of various factors on duodenal ulcer healing, specially the success or failure of Helicobacter pylori eradication.
Methods: One-hundred and nine patients with duodenal ulcer and H. pylori infection were studied. At endoscopy biopsies were obtained from the gastric antrum and body, and processed by microbiological (Gram stain and culture) and histological methods (haematoxylin-eosin); also, a 13C breath test was performed. A <<classical >> triple therapy (bismuth, tetracycline, metronidazole) or omeprazole plus amoxicillin was administered. Endoscopy and breath test were repeated one month after completing therapy. Eradication was defined as the absence of H. pylori by all diagnostic methods.
Results: H. pylori eradication was achieved in 60 patients (55%). In the multivariate analysis H. pylori eradication was the only variable which correlated with ulcer healing (regr. coef. = 2.4; OR = 10.6). Additional variables (age, sex, smoking, time of evolution, ulcer size, and type of therapy) were not significantly correlated. Ulcer healing was achieved in 92% of patients after H. pylori eradication, and in 51% of therapy failures (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: H. pylori eradication accelerates ulcer healing, which represents an additional argument for employing eradicating therapy in patients with duodenal ulcer disease.