ABSTRACT
One hundred and two consecutive patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were tested for H. pylori by a rapid urease test, using antral biopsy specimens. There were 60 men (mean age 54 yrs) and 42 women (mean age 49 yrs). Fifty-six patients (55//) were positive for H. pylori. Of male patients, 36 (60//) and of female patients, 20 (48//) tested positive. Sixty-eight per cent of patients with antral gastritis, 65//with duodenal ulcer and 60//with gastric ulcer had H. pylori. Thirty-nine patients (70//) positive for H. pylori were from major urban areas, and 17 (30//) were from rural areas of Jamaica. In patients without H. pylori, 61//and 39//were from urban and rural areas respectively. Forty-four patients (79//) with H. pylori and 40 (87//) without H. pylori had piped water in their homes. Ninety-three per cent of all patients had electricity and 88//had refrigeration. There was no difference between patients positive or negative for H. pylori with regard to the use of alcohol, marijuana or tobacco. There was also no difference between both groups in exposure to domestic animals in the home environment. H. pylori is associated with antral gastritis and peptic ulcer disease in Jamaican patients. There are no specific environmental or social factors that seem to predispose to infection.
Subject(s)
Humans , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Male , Female , Helicobacter pylori , Gastrointestinal Diseases/microbiology , Helicobacter Infections , Endoscopy , Gastritis , JamaicaABSTRACT
Thirty-five patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) treated with over a 15-year period were studied. There were 29 men and 6 women with a mean age of 47 years (range 21-67). Twenty-seven (77%) were chronic alcoholics, two (6%) had gallstones, one had stenosis of the Ampulla of Vater and in five (14%) no obvious cause was found. Thirty patients (86%) presented with abdominal pain. Chronic diarrhoea was present in 8 (23%), and steatorrhoea was documented in 6 of these. Fifteen (43%) had pancreatic calcifications. Five developed pseudocysts and 16 (46%) developed diabeted mellitus. Twelve patients required surgery. Three continue to have severe recurrent relapses of pain but the majority (91%) have had a relatively stable course with medical management.