H pylori infection in patients with Behcet's disease

AIM: To evaluate endoscopic findings and the prevalence of H pylori in patients with Behcet's disease (BD) who have upper gastrointestinal symptoms. METHODS: The patients with BD diagnosed according to the International Study Group and followed up in the Department of Dermatology and other related departments and who had any upper gastrointestinal complaints, were included in this study. Forty-five patients with BD and 40 patients in the control group were evaluated by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and two biopsied specimens were taken during endoscopy for H pylori. A two-week triple therapy for H pylori eradication was administered to H pylori positive patients. Two months after the treatment, the patients were evaluated by urea-breath test for eradication control. RESULTS: Patients with BD had a mean age of 36.2 +/- 11.4 years (18-67 years). The mean follow-up time was 35 +/- 14 mo (16-84 mo). Aphthous or deep ulcer in esophagus, stomach and duodenum had never been confirmed by endoscopic examination. Most gastric lesions were gastric erosion (40%) and the most duodenal lesions were duodenitis (17.5%) in two groups. H pylori was positive in 33 patients (73.3%) with BD. The two-week triple eradication therapy was successful in 75% of the patients. There was no difference between the groups in respect to prevalence of H pylori (73.3% vs 75%, P > 0.05), and eradication rate (75% vs 70%, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Endoscopic findings, eradication rate and prevalence of H pylori were similar in patients with BD and control group. (C) 2007 The WJG Press. All rights reserved.