Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in dyspeptic patients and its association with clinical risk factors for developing gastric adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Background – In Brazil, particularly in the underdeveloped localities, the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections can range up to 90%. These rates are higher in older individuals and vary by country region. H. pylori infections are linked to the development of gastric pathol ogies, namely mild to moderate gastritis, gastroenteritis, peptic ulcer, intestinal metaplasia, and gastric cancer. In 1994, this organism was classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as pertaining to the Group 1 carcinogen for gastric adenocarcinoma etiology. Gastric cancer represents a significant public health problem, being the fourth most common malignant tumor and the second largest cause of cancer-related deaths. Objective – To investigate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in dyspeptic patients and determine the link between clinical risk factors and gastric adenocarcinoma diagnosis. Methods – Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was employed for molecular diagnosis of gastric tissue biop sies collected from 113 dyspeptic patients at the University Hospital of Federal University of Goiás. Molecular analyses allowed the identification of H. pylori infections. Furthermore, histopathological examinations were performed to determine the clinical risks of developing gastric malignancies. Results – The test results identified 69 individuals older than 44 years, from 75 (66.4%) positive H. pylori infection samples. The prevalence of gastric adenocarcinoma in this study was 1.3%. Among the infected patients, six (8.2%) had high risk, and 67 (91.8%) had a low risk of developing gastric cancer (P<0.05). Conclusion – This study shows a high prevalence of H. pylori infection and identifies its contribution to gastric inflammations, which in the long term are manifested in high-risk clinical factors for the development of gastric adenocarcinoma.