[Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in symptomatic adults].

AIM: To study the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in different gastroduodenal entities in a wide group of symptomatic patients of our area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 796 (493 females) patients referred to our Hospital for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were studied. Mean age was 51.1 +/- 16.6 yrs. In all patients biopsies samples were taken from the gastric antrum for histological and microbiological (urease test) studies. A patient was considered Helicobacter pylori negative when its presence was not proved by microbiological and histological methods. RESULTS: 70.9% (73.8% males and 64.7% females) were Helicobacter pylori positive. The great majority of patients belong to 4. and 5. decade. Endoscopic diagnosis were: normal endoscopy 47.4%; antral gastritis 79.9%; pangastritis 68%; gastric ulcer 75.9%; duodenal ulcer 98.2%; pyloric ulcer 94.7%; endoscopic duodenitis 95.7%; gastric cancer 31.9%; operated stomachs 45.6%; and esophagitis 33.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The urease test had a high specificity (100%) and sensitivity (90%). Global results of H. pylori infection and its distribution among different gastroduodenal entities was similar to those described in other publications in our setting, although the prevalence was lower when compared with those countries with a lower socioeconomic status. H. pylori infection age-distribution suggests that this infection is acquired throughout life.