The association of Helicobacter pylori infection with low levels of urea and pH in the gastric juices
Abbolito, M.R.; Ameglio, F.; Guerrera, A.M.; Citarda, F.; Grassi, A.; Sciarretta, F.; Aceti, A.; Casale, V.; Gandolfo, G.M.
Italian Journal of Gastroenterology 24(7): 389-392
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0392-0623 PMID: 1392020 Document Number: 403601
Fifty-four gastric biopsies and their relative gastic juices were analyzed for the presence of Helicobacter pylori with both cultural and microscopic methods. Thirty-one samples were positive and twenty-three were negative. These data were therefore employed as references for the subsequent comparisons. Furthermore, the gastric juices were later tested to establish the urea concentration and pH level. In addition, the sediment obtained after centrifugation was microscopically observed for the possible presence of other bacterial flora in the sample (unstained smears). The urease test on the bioptic specimens has also been evaluated. The presence of H. pylori was strictly related to urea levels of less than 15 mg/dl and pH less than 3.5. Furthermore, H. pylori was generally not associated with the presence of other bacterial flora (only 1 out of 12 samples). The latter instead, was almost exclusively present in high pH samples (with the exception of one). On the basis of these results, a simple diagnostic scheme was constructed to identify carrier subjects. All patients (14/14) with urea levels or more than 15 mg/dl were found to be negative was well as those presenting of pH of more than 3.5 (7/9) or evidence of other bacteria in the juices (8/9). The remaining subjects (30/31 or 29/31, respectively) presented H. pylori in the gastric juices. The final classification was 96.3% (or 94.4%) correct.