Saliva Secretion and Efficacy of Helicobacter Pylori Eradication in Peptic Ulcer Patients

It has been noted that the presence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)in the oral cavity may affect the outcome of eradication therapy. This condition isassociated with the recurrence of gastric infection. The optimum secretion of salivapromotes oral health consequently influencing H. pylori eradication. The purposeof this study was to investigate the relation between salivary secretion andthe efficacy of H. pylori eradication from the stomach.Materials and Methods: Forty five patients with gastric H. pylori infection wereenrolled in this study. Diagnosis of H. pylori infection was confirmed by endoscopy,biopsy, urease test and histological examination. Salivary secretion of allparticipants was determined under standard condition before the beginning of antibacterialtreatment. Then the patients were treated with a 14-day course anti-H.pylori regimen consisting of amoxicillin, omeprazole, metronidazole and bismuth.The efficacy of eradication therapy was evaluated 4 weeks after the end of thetreatment course. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the variables.Results: The median of salivary secretion among successful and unsuccessful H.pylori eradication groups was 0.48 ml/min and 0.24 ml/min, respectively(p=0.005).Conclusion: Although the type of drug regimens is challenging, the efficacy ofH. pylori eradication from the stomach might be reduced by lower salivary secretion.