Eradicating Helicobacter pylori does not relieve dyspepsia

Most patients with dyspepsia do not have a peptic ulcer or other clear explanation for their condition. Around 30% to 70% of patients with such functional dyspepsia have Helicobacter pylori, which always causes chronic inflammation in the stomach. The role of this bacteria in causing symptoms in the absence of peptic ulcer disease, however, has remained contentious because of a lack of adequate trials. On p 833 Talley et al report the results from a large Australasian and European trial. They found that treatment of H pylori relieved dyspepsia symptoms in 24% of patients at 12 months compared with 22% of patients who received placebo. Whether longer term follow up is needed to show symptom relief after treatment remains unknown.

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Relevant Article

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in functional dyspepsia: randomised double blind placebo controlled trial with 12 months' follow up

Nicholas J Talley, Jef Janssens, Karsten Lauritsen, István Rácz, and Elisabeth Bolling-Sternevald
BMJ 1999 318: 833-837. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]