LACK OF ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HELICOBACTER PYLORI'S VIRULENCE AND INCREASED SERUM C-REACTIVE PROTEIN LEVELS IN FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPTIC PATIENTS.

Background: Recently, a great variety of studies aimed to investigate and even suggest Helicobacter pylori as an important key factor in gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal events development. The well-established relationship between bacterial virulence and increased risk for peptic ulcer or gastric carcinoma is not so clear when comparing inflammation markers alterations, such C-reactive protein, with the pathogen.
Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of H. pylori, bacterial virulence and C-reactive protein serum levels in individuals diagnosed with functional dyspepsia.
Methods: Were prospectively included in this study 489 dyspeptic individuals. They fulfill Rome III clinical criteria for the diagnosis of functional dyspepsia with no organic disease at endoscopy. The bacterial infection was established by histology and urease rapid test. The levels of serum C-reactive protein were obtained by immunonefelometry and CagA status of H. pylori positive individuals was determined through an imunoenzimatic assay.
Results: Prevalence rate of H. pylori was 66.3% and virulence factor CagA was detected in nearly 43% of positive samples. In addition, it has been noticed an association between Ilex paraguariensis (yerba maté) consumption and pathogen's prevalence. An important effect of bacterial infection on inflammation was only observed in gastric epithelium.
Conclusion: No systemic response to the pathogen, measured through C-reactive protein levels, was observed, regardless of CagA status. Otherwise, the intake of yerba maté should be considered as a cultural factor possibly related to H. pylori's transmission.