The relation between Helicobacter pylori and ulcerative colitis

Abstract

Background/aim: Besides some genetic explanations of the native course of ulcerative colitis (UC), the most attributable factors are pathogenic bacterial agents. There are some conflicting data about the relationship between Helicobacter pylori and the rate of UC in the literature. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the rate of H. pylori in UC patients. Materials and methods: Forty-nine individuals diagnosed with UC who had undergone upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy for different reasons were included in the study. The presence of H. pylori in the stomach was checked by histopathological examination. Results: H. pylori positivity was present in 57.1% of patients with UC. Interestingly, H. pylori positivity was lower (11.1%) in pancolitis patients compared to those presenting with more limited illnesses. There were no relationships among the severity of the underlying disease, medication already used, and H. pylori positivity rate. Conclusion: The extension of UC is important for the positivity rate of H. pylori. It could not be determined whether the low positivity of H. pylori in extended UC cases was due to immunosuppressive drugs or to the UC itself. © TÜBİTAK.