How often does surgery for peptic ulceration eradicate Helicobacter pylori? Systematic review of 36 studies
BMJ 1998; 316 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.316.7133.746 (Published 07 March 1998) Cite this as: BMJ 1998;316:746
- John Danesh, Rhodes scholara (john.danesh@balliol.ox.ac.uk),
- Paul Appleby, research officerb,
- Richard Peto, professor of medical statistics and epidemiologya
- a Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford OX2 6HE
- b Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Gibson Building, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford OX2 6HE
- Correspondence to: Dr Danesh
- Accepted 24 June 1997
Most peptic ulceration is due to chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori, and antibiotic treatments can generally cure both the infection and the ulceration.1 In previous decades, however, persistent peptic ulceration was often treated surgically either by vagotomy, which merely reduces symptoms, or by partial gastrectomy, which removes the ulcer and parts of the stomach likely to be infected with H pylori.2 There have been several surveys on the prevalence of persistent H pylori infection in patients who have undergone surgery for peptic ulceration, often many years previously. We present a systematic review of these surveys and compare the type of surgery with the likelihood of persistent H pylori infection.
Methods and results
We checked in databases, reference lists, and gastroenterology journals for any studies published before January 1997 that assessed H pylori infection after surgery for peptic ulceration. Studies were included if they provided information on the indication for surgery and the type …