The effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy on gastric ulcer healing after endoscopic mucosal resection.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: It remains unclear whether Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy accelerates the healing of acute gastric ulcer after endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) of gastric tumor. We examined the effect of H. pylori eradication therapy on ulcer healing after EMR.

METHODS

Twenty-six patients who underwent successful H. pylori eradication therapy before EMR were followed prospectively. Patients underwent endoscopic examination 1 or 2 months after EMR, during which the ulcer status and reduction rate were assessed. The effect of H. pylori eradication on the quality of ulcer healing was also evaluated. Six patients in whom eradication therapy failed and 26 patients who underwent EMR without eradication therapy served as control subjects.

RESULTS

Endoscopically, 18 (75%) of 24 ulcers in the eradication group were at the healing stage 1 month after EMR. The ulcer reduction rates were 85.0 +/- 2.6% and 96. 9 +/- 1.1% at 1 and 2 months after EMR, respectively. Ulcer stage and reduction rate did not differ significantly between the eradication group and control group. However, we frequently observed a better quality of ulcer healing in the eradication group than in the control groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

H. pylori eradication therapy does not accelerate ulcer healing after EMR but may improve the quality of ulcer healing of gastric ulcer after EMR.