CAMPYLOBACTER PYLORI ASSOCIATED GASTRITIS IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS TAKING NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS

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Abstract
Fifty-two patients with rheumatoid arthritis taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were studied in order to assess the carriage rate of Campylobacterpylori (C. pylori) with reference to dyspeptic symptoms, endoscopic appearance and antral histology. All patients were interviewed using a standard gastrointestinal symptom scoring questionnaire and underwent endoscopy at which two antral biopsies were obtained. Sections were examined for the presence and severity of gastritis and of C. pylori. Forty-four of 52 patients (85%) had histological evidence of gastritis. Twenty-six of 44 (59%) patients with gastritis were positive for C. pylori. Twenty-six of 28 patients with 'active' (polymorph infiltration) chronic gastritis were positive for C. pylori (p <0.002). Sixteen of 26 bacteria-positive patients had gastrointestinal symptoms compared with eight of 26 bacteria-negative patients (p < 0.05) and this may have therapeutic implications. There was no correlation between the presence of organisms and the appearances at endoscopy.