Helicobacter pylori and antral gastrin concentration in gastric ulcer patients

Background. The role of Helicobacter pylori in the pathogenesis of ulcer disease is still debated. The aim of our study was to analyse the relationship between H. pylori infection in gastric ulcer, mucosal gastrin concentration and basal serum gastrin. Methods. We measured the levels of gastrin in serum and in homogenates from gastroduodenal biopsies of 35 gastrin ulcer patients and 12 controls. In these subjects, the presence or absence of H. pylori was histologically proven by means of the Giemsa method. Results. Gastric ulcer H. pylori-positive patients showed higher antral gastrin concentrations than either H. pylori-positive dyspeptics or H. pylori-negative gastric ulcer cases. Antral gastrin levels were influenced neither by superficial or deep chronic gastritis, nor by any positivity for intestinal metaplasia. Conclusions. These data suggest that H. pylori infection is associated with high antral gastrin levels, irrespective of gastritics and this should prompt other studies to be undertaken for a better understanding of the relationship between H. pylori and the regulation of gastrin producing cells.