Objective: This study evaluated Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in terms of symptomatic response in patients with functional dyspepsia. On the other hand, we analyzed the importance of histologic findings as a predictor of treatment response. In particular, we studied whether antral gastritis (which is associated with peptic ulcer) may predict a greater symptomatic response to Helicobacter pylori eradication in functional dyspepsia.
Patients and methods: This prospective, randomized, single-center trial included 48 patients with functional dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori infection (27 women and 21 men, mean age 37 +/- 13.5 years). Twenty-seven patients received a 10-day course of rabeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin (eradication group), followed by 20 mg of rabeprazole for 3 months. Twenty-one patients received 20 mg of rabeprazole for 3 months (control group). Patients were followed up over a 1-year period. All patients completed the Dyspepsia-Related Health Scale Questionnaire, which studies four dimensions: pain intensity, pain disability, non-pain symptoms, and satisfaction with dyspepsia-related health.
Results: There was significant symptomatic improvement (p < 0.002) after 6 and 12 months, which was similar with both treatments. In the multivariate analyses, eradication therapy and less severe symptoms before treatment were the only independent factors. The symptomatic response to Helicobacter pylori eradication after 6 months was significantly greater as compared to control therapy (p = 0.01) in patients with antral gastritis and in the non-pain symptoms dimension of the questionnaire.
Conclusions: Both treatments proved to be clinically beneficial in patients with functional dyspepsia. We observed a tendency to greater symptomatic benefit with Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy when compared to control treatment in patients with functional dyspepsia and in a population with a high prevalence of this infection. There is a tendency to symptomatic benefit with Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in patients with antral gastritis.