[Bismuth aluminate in gastroenterology. Therapeutic effects in chronic erosive Campylobacter pylori-associated gastritis].

14 patients with epigastric pain and chronic active gastritis as well as endoscopically proven erosions underwent an open therapeutic trial with bismuth aluminate (3 x 300 mg/day) for three weeks. Prior to and after treatment five biopsy specimens were taken from the antral mucosa 2 and 4 cm proximal to the pylorus for histological scoring of inflammatory activity and C. pylori detection, for urease quick test (CUT) and culture. Before treatment C. pylori was detected histologically and by CUT in all patients, whereas in culture, C. pylori was not detected in one case. After three weeks of treatment, 9 patients (64%) were C. pylori-negative in culture, and 8 patients (57%) had negative results both on histology and CUT. In 86% (12 patients) chronic erosions were no longer detectable and histological evidence of inflammation was reduced (p less than 0.01). All patients reported symptomatic relief. Complete elimination of C. pylori was observed in just over half the patients. These results confirm the effectiveness of bismuth aluminate in the short-term treatment of chronic active gastritis.