Clinical features of chronic pancreatitis in Helicobacter pylori-infected patients

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori infection (Hp) in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) is analyzed in this article. A comparative assessment of the clinical manifestations of the disease in Hp-infected and non-infected patients is carried out. Peculiarities of pain, dyspeptic syndromes, and palpation data are revealed.

96 patients with CP were examined, including 58 (60.4%) women and 38 (39.6%) men from 16 to 75. In addition to patients with CP, 30 patients with chronic gastritis, duodenitis, gastric ulcer, or duodenal ulcer without clinical, biochemical, or sonographic signs of pancreatic disease were examined (as a comparison group). The control group consisted of 30 healthy individuals.

In patients with CP, the Hp infection rate is higher than in patients with acid-related disorders of the gastroduodenal zone. It is equal to 86.5%.

Pain in the epigastrium, in its right half, and in the right hypochondrium is more typical for CP patients infected with Hp than for non-infected patients. Full belt pain irradiation is more frequent in Hp-infected patients. Constant, intense pain occurs in these patients both before and after meals. The intensity of pain in CP patients infected with Hp is higher than in non-infected patients. In the case of Hp infection, pancreatic pain is more clearly stopped by antisecretory drugs and less clearly by antispasmodics and hunger. In non-infected patients, pain relief is preferably achieved through hunger and antispasmodic drugs.

The severity of dyspeptic manifestations, symptoms associated with functional pancreatic insufficiency, is higher in CP patients infected with Hp than in non-infected patients.

It is proven that the clinical manifestations of functional pancreatic insufficiency are more severe in infected patients.