H. pylori infection Often detected in patients with dyspepsia

In Northwest Ethiopia, 35 percent of patients with dyspepsia have peptic ulcer disease, with risk factors including Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)/acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) use, according to a study published online April 5 in BMC Gastroenterology.

Belete Assefa, from the University of Gondar in Ethiopia, and colleagues conducted an institutional-based cross-sectional study involving 218 dyspeptic patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopic evaluations to determine the magnitude and associated factors of peptic ulcer disease. Clinical information was obtained using a semistructured questionnaire.

The researchers found that 49 percent of the patients had active H. pylori infection. In 35 percent of patients with dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disease was diagnosed. Risk factors for peptic ulcer disease included H. pylori infection and NSAID/ASA use (adjusted odds ratios, 6.298 and 6.252, respectively).

"Medical treatment of peptic ulcer disease should target treatment of H. pylori infection and cautious use of NSAIDs/ASA," the authors write. "Community-based study is required to conclude the actual findings in the target population."