Seroprevalencia de Helicobacter pylori en hemodializados. / [Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence in dialysis patients]

ABSTRACT

AIM: (a) to establish Hp infection seroprevalence among patients under chronic dialysis and to compare it with that of general population, (b) to assess the relationship between Hp prevalence and parameters associated with a higher morbidity, such as serum albumin levels, dialysis adequacy, and quality of life in this population. METHODS: Ninety-three consecutive patients of both genders (58 M/35 F), X 57.5 +/- 17.2 years old, with end-stage chronic renal failure on maintenance dialysis were included. All of them received dialysis at Hospital Italiano, Buenos Aires. The presence of anti-Hp antibodies was established and its prevalence was compared with a control group. In all cases, serum albumin levels and time in dialysis were determined. In addition, dialysis adequacy was established by KT/V and quality of life was measured with Karnofskys index. Patients and controls were matched according variables associated with Hp infection in our country, i.e., age, socioeconomic and education levels. RESULTS: Ninety-three dialysis patients were matched with 93 controls. According to the quick serological test, 44 out of 93 (47.3