Effect of eradication of Helicobacter pylori in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Helicobactor pylori (H. pylori) is suspected to be one of the factors triggering rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of H. pylori eradication on inflammatory disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The presence of H. pylori was assessed in 59 patients with rheumatoid arthritis from whom H. pylori was eradicated. The level of inflammatory disease activity was evaluated before eradication and during a 42-week follow-up period, as well as the inflammatory disease. The activity of H. pylori in uninfected patients was evaluated with similar time intervals. A significant improvement was seen in the patients’ ESR after H. pylori eradication, although this was non-significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. A significantly reduced number of tender joints was observed in patients unaffected by H. pylori, possibly due to altered DMARD-treatment in 17% of the patients. Our results indicate the role of H. pylori on the inflammatory state of rheumatoid arthritis, but further studies on larger populations are necessary for final conclusions to be drawn.