Absence of benefit of eradicating Helicobacter pylori in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia

Eradicating Helicobacter pylori does not appear to cure dyspepsia. Dyspepsia is the medical term for heartburn. It can sometimes be caused by an ulcer. Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that has been linked to ulcer formation. Researchers randomly assigned 170 patients with Helicobacter pylori infection and dyspepsia not caused by an ulcer to receive treatment for the infection or a placebo for 14 days. The bacterium was eradicated in 90% of the patients who received the treatment compared to 2% of the placebo group. However, both groups continued to have symptoms of dyspepsia.