Helicobacter pylori and functional dyspepsia. What to do after the Maastricht II consensus meeting?

BACKGROUND

Despite many clinical studies, there is still much discussion on the relation between Helicobacter pylori and functional dyspepsia.

METHODS

Critical review of recommendations for H. pylori eradication in dyspepsia.

RESULTS

The debate can be separated into three major problems. First, how to identify the dyspeptic patient suffering from H. pylori infection. Second, is H. pylori infection causative for complaints in this patient? Third, what is the clinical course of functional dyspepsia after successful H. pylori eradication? In the recent Maastricht II consensus, it is strongly recommended that H. pylori-positive patients with functional dyspepsia should be treated with anti-H. pylori therapy. In this review, the pros and cons of H. pylori eradication in patients with functional dyspepsia are discussed. The reader can decide what is the best management of an individual patient.

CONCLUSIONS

This review gives the relevant background information allowing clinicians to decide what the best management is in individual H. pylori-positive patients with dyspepsia.