Lack of relationship between infection by Helicobacter pylori and vomiting that usually occurs during pregnancy, although possible relationship with severe forms of emesis.

OBJECTIVE: It has been reported that infection by Helicobacter pylori may cause severe vomiting during pregnancy (hyperemesis gravidarum). Two studies were carried out in order to examine the relationship between this infection and less severe vomiting. DESIGN AND METHODS: The first study was a retrospective study involving 3438 women who required admission to the hospital during pregnancy. In 178 women, vomiting was recorded as one of the diagnoses at the time of discharge. In 162 of these women, a serum specimen was available to study the presence of anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies (anti-HP Ab). The second study examined the presence of vomiting and anti-HP Ab in an additional 250 pregnant women who were admitted to the Maternity Ward for childbirth. In this study, the duration and intensity of emesis during the previous months was recorded. RESULTS: In the first study, no significant difference was found between the prevalence of anti-HP Ab in the 162 women in the study and a control group of women without emesis (43.2 vs 42.9%, p = NS). In the second study, there was no significant difference in seroprevalence between the women with emesis and the control group without vomiting, with the exception of the more severe cases (anti-HP Ab 77.8%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study do not show that there is a relationship between infection by Helicobacter pylori and less severe vomiting during pregnancy. Nevertheless, we believe that additional studies should carried out in order to determine the relationship between the more severe cases of emesis during pregnancy and this treatable infection.

Falta de relación entre la infección por Helicobacter pylori y los vómitos habituales del embarazo aunque posible relación con las formas graves de emesis / Lack of relationship between infection by Helicobacter pylori and vomiting that usually occurs during pregnacy, although possible relationship with severe forms of emesis

Objetivo: se ha referido que la infección por Helicobacter py lori puede ser causa de una forma especialmente grave de vómitos en el embarazo (hyperemesis gravidarum). Para investigar si la presencia de vómitos de menor gravedad se relaciona con esta infección se realizaron dos estudios. Diseño y métodos: el primero fue un estudio retrospectivo entre 3.438 mujeres que requirieron ingreso durante su embarazo en el hospital. La presencia de vómitos figuraba entre los diagnósticos al alta en 178 mujeres, de las cuales 162 disponían de un suero para estudiar la presencia de anticuerpos anti-Helicobacter (Ac-Hp). El segundo estudio investigó la presencia de vómitos y Ac-Hp en 250 nuevas gestantes que acudieron para dar a luz a la Maternidad, consignando duración e intensidad de la emesis en los meses previos. Resultados: en el primer estudio, no se observó una diferencia significativa en la prevalencia de Ac-Hp entre las 162 mujeres incluidas y un grupo control de mujeres sin emesis (43,2 vs 42,9 por ciento, p = NS). En el segundo estudio, tampoco se encontró una diferencia significativa en la seroprevalencia entre las mujeres con emesis y el grupo control sin vómitos, a excepción de los casos que presentaron mayor gravedad (Ac-Hp 77,8 por ciento, p<0,05). Conclusiones: los resultados de este trabajo no apoyan una relación entre la infección por Helicobacter pylori y los vómitos menos graves del embarazo. La sugerencia de una relación entre los casos más graves de embarazo y la infección por H. pylori hace necesaria la realización de nuevos estudios (AU)

Immunohistological patterns of blood group ABO and type 1 chain (Lewis a Lewis b) and type 2 chain (H-2, Y) antigens in normal uterine cervix.

Ten monoclonal antibodies and one lectin were used to study the localization and distribution of Blood Group ABH, type 1 chain (Lewis a, Lewis b) and type 2 chain (H-2, Y) antigens in 22 cases of normal uterine cervix, with known ABO and Lewis phenotype and secretor status. The results showed that ABH isoantigen expression is clearly related to the secretor status. It is positive in the endo- and exocervical epithelium of secretor individuals and negative in non-secretors. Lewis antigen expression in both endocervical and exocervical epithelium is related to the patient's Lewis phenotype and is clearly controlled by the secretor gene. Indeed, the expression of the Lewis a antigen is limited to the tissue of people of Lewis (a + b-) phenotype (non-secretors), and the expression of Lewis b antigen is limited to the tissue of people of Lewis a-b+) phenotype (secretors). The Y antigen showed a focal expression in endocervical mucosa in all the cases, independently of secretor status or Lewis phenotype. The same pattern was observed for H-type 2 antigen, though only in secretor individuals.