ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori is higher in developing countries. Sanitary facilities, crowding and ethnic group are some of the factors related to H. pylori infection. The aim of this study was to investigate in blood donors, free of dyspeptic symptoms, the prevalence and factors influencing H. pylori infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in São Paulo, a city known to have a mixed population coming from all over the country. A total of 1008 blood donors were initially included in the study. After a final revision of all the questionnaires, 993 were included in the final analysis (746 males). H. pylori status was checked by an ELISA test. The following associations to infection were analyzed: sex, age, ethnic group, previous upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction, type of drinking water, crowding, sanitary facilities, and family income. RESULTS: Infection was observed in 496 of 746 male (66.5%) and in 156 of 247 female (63.2%) blood donors. Infection prevalence increased according to age group, regardless of sex. Prevalence was lower in White population than in non-White. No relationship was observed between infection and smoking, drug addiction, and alcohol. A positive relation was observed between infection and previous upper GI endoscopy, and type of drinking water, regardless if currently or during childhood. Crowding and lack of toilet in the house during childhood resulted in a higher infection rate. Lower familial income and educational level showed a positive association to infection. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of H. pylori is higher in non-White population, independent of gender. A positive association was observed in aging, previous upper GI endoscopy, crowding, type of drinking water, lack of toilet during childhood, lower family income, and lower educational level.
Subject(s)
Helicobacter Infections/epidemiology , Helicobacter pylori , Adult , Age Factors , Blood Donors , Brazil/epidemiology , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Humans , Male , Poverty , Risk Factors , Serologic Tests , Surveys and Questionnaires , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
Vinte e oito pacientes com úlcera duodenal comprovada endoscopicamente foram tratados com ranitidina 150mg duas vezes ao dia ou 300mg em dose única noturna, sendo o esquema terapêutico aleatoriamente randomizado (14 pacientes em cada grupo). Todos foram submetidos ao estudo endoscópico ao final da segunda semana, e os que apresentavam a úlcera aberta tratados por outras duas semanas, ao final das quais novo exame era realizado. Ao final de quatro semanas, os pacientes que permaneciam com a úlcera aberta eram considerados como falha de tratamento. Antes de iniciar a medicaçäo e ao final da investigaçäo, os pacientes realizaram os seguintes exames: hemograma, TGO, TGP e creatinina. Nos pacientes tratados com ranitidina 150mg duas vezes ao dia, observou-se cicatrizaçäo ao final da segunda semana em seis (45%) e ao final da quarta semana em 11 (80%). Naqueles tratados com dose única (nocte) de 300mg, oito (60%) cicatrizaram a úlcera ao final da segunda semana e 12 (90%) ao final da quarta semana. Em nenhum paciente dos dois grupos observou-se qualquer efeito colateral ou alteraçäo bioquimica importante. Concluiu-se que a ranitidina, em qualquer dos dois esquemas posológicos, mostrou-se eficaz em cicatrizar a úlcera duodenal. Em razäo da facilidade de administraçäo em uma única tomada noturna, aconselha-se este esquema de tratamento na úlcera duodenal
