The association between non-ulcer dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori infection

Objective. To evaluate whether Helicobacter pylori-assodated non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) presents with specific clinical features enabling it to be distinguished from other forms of NUD.Patients. The study included 149 NUD patients (67 men and 82 female; mean age 48.3 years). NUD was defined as upper gastrointestinal symptoms present for more than 4 weeks, unrelated to exertion or rest, in the absence of peptic ulcération, oesophagitis or malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract, as confirmed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.Interventions. Antral biopsies were taken from all patients and evaluated for H. pylori by the rapid urease test and by a histological examination. Symptoms were documented and scored by standardized questionnaires in all patients. Unconditional multivariate logistic analysis was performed in order to identify and quantify the association between symptoms and H. pylori infection.Results Of the patients with NUD, 76 (51%) were infected with H. pylori. The total symptom score was 9.8±0.3 in H. pylori-positive and 8.2±0.3 in H. pylori-negative NUD patients (P