Identification and eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection in haemophilic patients.

The aim of this study was to identify and eradicate H. pylori infection in patients with haemophilia. Patients were screened for IgG antibodies against H. pylori; active infection was determined using a (13) C-urea breath test and infected patients were given combination therapy with antibiotics to eradicate infection. Seventy-eight of 219 (36%) patients with haemophilia were found to have an elevated serum antibody titre against H. pylori; of 36 antibody-positive patients with confirmatory testing, 14 were found to have active H. pylori infection. H. pylori infection was successfully eradicated in every infectedpatient using acombination of ranitidine plus two antibiotics (usually amoxycillin and metronidazole). It is concluded that eradication of H. pylori infection is likely to be a cost-effective screening strategy in patients with haemophilia, to prevent complications of peptic ulcer disease.