Gastric mucosal interleukin-8 in children colonized by Helicobacter pylori

Background: Helicobacter pylori produces a gastric mucosal inflammation characterized by neutrophil infiltration, due to the liberation of interleukin-8. Aim: To measure interleukin-8 levels in gastric mucosa samples from children colonized by H. pylori. Patients and methods: Thirty one children that required an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for diagnostic purpose were studied. Antral biopsies were obtained for pathological study, H. pylori detection using CLO-test and interleukin-8 determination by Elisa. Results: Nine children were not infected with H. pylori. Of these, six had a pathologically normal gastric mucosa and three had a mild chronic gastritis. Twenty two children were infected by H. pylori and all bad a chronic gastritis with activity signs in 13. Muscosal interleukin-8 was higher in infected than in non infected children (59.7 (range 6.1-379.7) and 15.8 (range 3.9-104.1) pg/mg respectively p = 0.029). Colonized children with an active chronic gastritis had higher interleukin-8 levels than those with inactive gastritis (84.4 (range 33.3-379.0) and 26.8 (range 6.1-372.6) pg/ml respectively p = 0.04). Conclusions: Stomach colonization by H. pylori is associated with higher mucosal levels of interleukin-8. This phenomenon probably plays a role in the genesis and intensity of gastric mucosal inflammation in children.