ABSTRACT
Helicobacter pylori [H pylori] is a gram negative spirally shaped bacterium. It is known to be the most common important cause of gastritis, peptic ulcer, non ulcer dyspepsia and gastric carcinoma. The frequency and importance of gastric mucosal lesion in patients with chronic liver disease [CLD] have been increasingly recognized in recent years. IL-8 a potent leukocyte chemo-attractant cytokine produced by H-pylori. It promotes polymorphnuclear leucocytes [PMNs] and mononuclear cells [MNCs] accumulation in gastric mucosa.This work aimed to clarify the relation between H pylori and IL-8 production in various chronic liver disease [CLD] lesions. Eighty patients were included in this study, 50 with CLD and 30 dyspeptic patients without CLD. Gastric mucosal biopsies were examined histopathologically for H pylori, cellular infiltration and associated pathology, together with culture of H pylori and assessment of IL-8 level in gastric tissue supernatant. 30/50 [60%] CLD patients,10/15 [66.6%] patients with non gastric dyspepsia, and 14/15 [93.3%] patients with gastric dyspepsia were positive for H pylori. There was no relationship between the prevalence of H pylori and the aetiology of CLD. No significant difference was observed in CLD patients' group as regard to H pylori and Child grading, degree of varices, gastric or liver histopathology. Statistical difference in H pylori prevalence between patients with CLD and those with gastric dyspepsia was significant. IL-8 showed significant increase in H pylori positive vs H pylori negative patients. Positive correlation was found between H pylori density and tissue IL-8 and cellular infiltration. In conclusion the liver status does not play a role in the prevalence of H pylori infection, further studies to investigate the relation between virulent H pylori and IL-8 are needed