Helicobacter pylori: Prevalence in 352 consecutive patients with dyspepsia.

At the Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital (RAFH), 352 patients had gastroscopy and from each, antral gastric biopsies were taken for identification of Helicobacter pylori, by urease test and histopathology. In 217 (61.64%) of these 352 patients, the histology specimens showed Helicobacter pylori in 73.68% of patients with duodenal ulcer, 70% of patients with gastric ulcers and gastric erosions, 61% of patients with duodenitis and 52% of patients with gastritis. The urease test was positive at six hours in 164 (49.59%) of these 352 patients. The urease test was positive in 60% of each group of patients with endoscopic findings of gastric erosions, gastric ulcers and duodenal erosions.