The effect of antibiotic therapy for patients infected with Helicobacter pylori who have chronic urticaria

[Which augmentation and trigger factors are relevant in urticaria?]

The aim of this review is to present relevant trigger as well as augmentation factors that can induce or exacerbate urticaria on the basis of a current, PubMed-based literature search. In addition to a brief description of relevant influencing factors in acute and chronic inducible urticaria, the focus will be on chronic spontaneous urticaria. In particular, the aggravating role of medication, stress, food, psychological and metabolic comorbidities, infections and inflammation as well as hormonal processes will be discussed.

Drug Induced Cutaneous Manifestations due to Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders

Cutaneous manifestations due to drugs used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders are multiple and common. Adequate diagnosis is of great importance, bearing in mind that the therapeutic regimen depends on its diagnosis. In this review, we provided an overview of the most common drug-induced skin lesions with a detailed explanation of the disease course, presentation and treatment, having in mind that in recent years, novel therapeutic modalities have been introduced in the treatment of various gastrointestinal disorders, and that incidence of cutaneous adverse reactions has been on the rise.

Role of Helicobacter pylori Eradication in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Objective

To investigate the role of Helicobacter pylori (HP) eradication in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) treatment.

Methods

Retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 522 patients with CSU who underwent a HP breath test in Hangzhou Third People’s Hospital between January 2018 and December 2019. The CSU-HP(+) group consisted of patients with CSU and HP infection, who were treated with antihistamines combined with HP eradication therapy. The CSU-HP(-) group consisted of patients with CSU alone, who were treated with antihistamines. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis, using the nearest neighbor matching method on a 1:1 basis, was performed to ensure the characteristics of the CSU-HP(+) and CSU-HP(-) groups were similar. Factors, including age, gender, white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, alanine transaminase, creatinine, immunoglobulin E, and pre-treatment urticaria activity score (UAS), were matched to obtain a balanced cohort of patients in each group. Therapeutic effects were compared after matching. t-tests, Χ² test, and McNemar’s test were used for comparison between the two groups before and after matching.

Results

Patients in the CSU-HP(+) group reported significantly more gastrointestinal symptoms than those in the CSU-HP(-) group. UAS scores in the second week of treatment were significantly different between the two groups. After 3 months, the recurrence rate in the CSU-HP(+) group was lower than in the CSU-HP(-) group.

Conclusion

Eradication of HP infection in patients with CSU helps relieve gastrointestinal symptoms, improves the therapeutic effect of CSU within 2 weeks, and reduces the recurrence rate 3 months after treatment.

Comparative analysis of clinical and laboratory parameters of autoimmune and idiopathic chronic urticaria patients

Background: According to the cause, chronic urticaria is most frequently divided into autoimmune and idiopathic urticaria. Aim of the paper was to determine the frequency of autoimmune urticaria using autologous serum skin testing and a comparative analysis of chronic idiopathic and chronic autoimmune urticaria by disease course, severity and most common comorbidities. Methods: Analysis covered 64 adult patients of both sexes with chronic urticaria, divided into two groups according to their positivity in autologous serum skin testing (group I with positive test and group II with negative test). General haematological and biochemical parameters, antithyroid antibodies, hepatitis serum markers, Helicobacter pylori and Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies were performed for patients in both groups. First group patients were treated by autologous blood therapy (autohaemotherapy). The analytical statistical tool SPSS (Statistical Product and Service Solutions) version 20 for descriptive statistics and statistical methods was used. The significance level used was p = 0.05. Results: The frequency of positive autologous serum test in total population of patients with chronic urticaria was 43.8 %. The average duration of urticaria was 20 months in both groups. Statistically significant difference was found in weekly scores between the studied groups (p = 0.032) in favour of chronic autoimmune urticaria with a positive autologous serum test. Subjects with chronic autoimmune urticaria had a significantly higher association with autoimmune thyroid diseases. Conclusions: Direct relation was established between the use of autologous blood therapy in patients with autoimmune chronic urticaria and improvement of the clinical picture.

Association between Chronic Urticaria and Helicobacter pylori Infection among Patients Attending a Tertiary Hospital in Tanzania

BACKGROUND

Chronic urticaria (CU) is a common skin disease; however, its etiology is rarely recognized. Infection due to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been shown in some studies to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of CU.

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to determine the association between CU and H. pylori infection among patients attending the Regional Dermatology Training Center, Northern Tanzania, from October 2018 to April 2019. Methodology. A matched case-control study that included 55 cases and 55 controls matched by age and sex was conducted. Data were collected through direct interviews, and the results of laboratory investigations were recorded in the extraction sheet. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test was used to detect H. pylori antigen in the stool samples. Conditional logistic regression was used to measure the association between CU and H. pylori.

RESULTS

The total number of participants in this study was 110 patients (55 cases and 55 controls), whereby the median age was 31 (IQR 27-45) among controls versus 34 (IQR: 22-46) years among the cases. Both cases and controls had the same number of females and males. There was no significant association between CU and baseline characteristics of the participants. There was an association between CU and H. pylori infection, such that subjects with CU had a higher number of positive H. pylori test (15/55 = 27%) versus controls (6/55 = 10.1%) (p = 0.0225). The adjusted odds of CU among patients who were positive for H. pylori were sixfolds higher (OR = 6.9; CI: 1.3-36.2; p = 0.021) than those of patients who were negative for H. pylori.

CONCLUSION

There was a strong and significant association between CU and H. pylori infection. We recommend investigating for H. pylori in all cases of CU and conducting further trials on H. pylori eradication.

Helicobacter pylori is Associated with Less Fistulizing, Stricturing, and Active Colitis in Crohn's Disease Patients

Introduction A potential protective role of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection against the development of Crohn's disease (CD) has been postulated. There is a lack of studies evaluating the association of HP with CD phenotypes. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features and disease activity of patients with CD who were diagnosed with HP infection. Methods The charts of 306 consecutive patients from the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) database at the University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville from January 2014 to July 2016 were reviewed. Ninety-one CD patients who were tested for HP were included, and the frequencies of strictures, fistulas, and colitis in surveillance biopsies in these patients were evaluated. Results Of the 91 CD patients tested for HP, 19 had HP infection. A total of 44 patients had fistulizing/stricturing disease, and 62 patients had active colitis. In the univariate analysis, patients with HP infection had less fistulizing/stricturing disease (21.1% vs. 55.6%, p = 0.009) and less active colitis (42.1% vs. 77.1%, p = 0.005). In the multivariate analysis, HP infection remained as a protective factor for fistulizing/stricturing disease phenotype (OR: 0.22; 95%CI: 0.06-0.97; p = 0.022) and active colitis (OR: 0.186; 95%CI: 0.05-0.65; p = 0.010). Conclusion HP infection was independently associated with less fistulizing/stricturing disease and less active colitis in CD patients. Our study suggests CD patients with a history of HP infection are less prone to complications.

Management of chronic urticaria in children: a clinical guideline

The aim of this guidance is to provide recommendations to clinicians and other interested parties on chronic urticaria in children. The Italian Society for Pediatrics (SIP), the Italian Society for Allergy and Immunology (SIAIP), the Italian Society for Pediatric dermatology (SIDerP) convened a multidisciplinary panel that prepared clinical guidelines for diagnosis and management of chronic urticaria in childhood. Key questions on epidemiology, natural history, diagnosis, and management were developed. The literature was systematically searched and evaluated, recommendations were rated and algorithms for diagnosis and treatment were developed. The recommendations focus on identification of diseases and comorbidities, strategies to recognize triggering factors, improvement of treatment by individualized care.

H. pylori infection and extra-gastroduodenal diseases

Helicobacter pylori infection is the principal cause of peptic ulcer disease, gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Recent studies have shown that it may interfere with many biological processes and determine or influence the occurrence of many diseases outside the stomach. Currently, the role of H. pylori in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and iron deficiency anemia is well documented. Emerging evidence suggests that it may also contribute to vitamin B12 deficiency, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic liver disease. Additionally, it may increase the risk of acute coronary syndrome, cerebrovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease and other miscellaneous disorders. Different pathogenic mechanisms have been hypothesized, including the occurrence of molecular mimicry and the induction of a low-grade inflammation. This review summarizes the results of the most relevant studies on the extra-gastroduodenal manifestations of H. pylori infection.

Helicobacter pylori infection and liver diseases: Epidemiology and insights into pathogenesis

Both Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and liver diseases, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), viral hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), have high prevalences worldwide, and the relationship between H. pylori infection and liver disease has been discussed for many years. Although positive correlations between H. pylori and NAFLD have been identified in some clinical and experimental studies, negative correlations have also been obtained in high-quality clinical studies. Associations between H. pylori and the pathogenesis of chronic viral hepatitis, mainly disease progression with fibrosis, have also been suggested in some clinical studies. Concerning HCC, a possible role for H. pylori in hepatocarcinogenesis has been identified since H. pylori genes have frequently been detected in resected HCC specimens. However, no study has revealed the direct involvement of H. pylori in promoting the development of HCC. Although findings regarding the correlations between H. pylori and liver disease pathogenesis have been accumulating, the existing data do not completely lead to an unequivocal conclusion. Further high-quality clinical and experimental analyses are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of H. pylori eradication in ameliorating the histopathological changes observed in each liver disease.

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori, as add-on therapy, has a significant, but temporary influence on recovery in chronic idiopathic urticaria: a placebo-controlled, double blind trial in the Polish population

Introduction

The infectious factor like Helicobacter pylori (HP) has been thought to trigger the vicious circle of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), therefore its eradication could modify the course of the disease.

Aim

To reveal the influence of HP eradication on CIU clinical course.

Material and methods

Sixty-four CIU patients, receiving fexofenadine, as the basic treatment, took part in the research, divided into 3 groups: HP patients treated by eradication, HP patients receiving placebo, and patients without bacteria. Gastroscopy, urease test and histopathology were done to detect HP. Patients with HP were randomized and received eradication treatment or placebo. The efficacy of eradication was checked after 6 weeks by means of another gastroscopy, urease test and histopathology. In the 6^th week and in the 4^th and 6^th month after eradication, the symptoms were evaluated basing on the score symptom scale.

Results

Helicobacter pylori did not occur more frequently in CIU patients than in the healthy population. A statistically significant clinical improvement of CIU symptoms was observed in the 6^th week after eradication as compared to the group receiving placebo (p = 0.02) and patients who were not infected (p = 0.02). Further observation in the eradicated patients group revealed the rebound phenomenon – worsening of the clinical state (p = 0.001), which in the 4^th month did not differ from the patients not infected or patients receiving placebo.

Conclusions

Although HP occurs as frequently in CIU patients as in the healthy population, eradication, added to basic antihistaminic treatment, has a significant influence on CIU patients’ recovery parallel to the reduction of stomach inflammation features.

Relationship of Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence with the occurrence and severity of psoriasis

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the skin and joints and has a multifactorial etiology. Recently, it has been suggested that Helicobacter pylori infection may contribute as a trigger for the development of the disease.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of H. pylori seropositivity in patients with psoriasis and to evaluate the relation between disease severity and H. pylori infection.

METHODS

H. pylori infection was assessed in psoriatic patients and controls by using H. pylori IgG quantitative enzyme immunoassay (ELISA test). The patients were classified according to the severity of the disease (PASI score).

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty six patients with psoriasis (73 females and 53 males); mean age 50.48 years; 65 patients (51.59%) had severe psoriasis, 40 (31.75%) moderate psoriasis and 21 (16.67%) mild psoriasis. Twenty one healthy volunteers included as a control group, mean age of 41.05 years, 13 females and 8 males. One hundred and eleven patients with psoriasis tested serologically, 80 (72.07%) were seropositive compared with 7 positive volunteers (33.33%; P=0.002). Forty-nine (75.38%) patients with severe psoriasis were positive, 25 (62.50%) with moderate psoriasis were positive and 6 (28.57%) with mild psoriasis were positive (P=0.045). Study limitations: none.

CONCLUSIONS

H. pylori infection influences the development of psoriasis and severity of the disease.

Effects of Helicobacter pylori Eradication in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: Results from a Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection has been hypothesised to play a major role in the pathogenesis of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Despite only weak evidence from Hp eradication studies, screening for Hp infection is still recommended in several CSU guidelines. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Hp eradication in combination with standard CSU treatment in Hp-positive compared with Hp-negative patients, applying the latest guidelines for both diseases.

METHODS

138 consecutive patients with CSU were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. All patients underwent gastroscopy and Hp status was determined by urease testing and histologic examination. Seventy-five patients were diagnosed as Hp negative and 47 patients fulfilled criteria for definite Hp infection, 45 of whom received eradication therapy. Sixteen patients who received eradication therapy without an appropriate indication served as the medication control. All patients received symptomatic treatment with antihistamines and/or glucocorticoids regardless of Hp status. Partial response (PR) was defined as subjective amelioration of CSU symptoms; patients returning for further CSU treatment within 6 months were considered non-responders/relapsers (NRs).

RESULTS

The prevalence of Hp infection was comparable with Hp seroprevalence data reported for healthy western populations. Standard treatment of CSU led to relief of symptoms independent of Hp status. Hp eradication by standard triple therapy had no additional effect on PR (p = 0.32) or NR (p = 0.50).

CONCLUSIONS

Hp eradication has no discernible effect on CSU beyond that of standard CSU therapy. Therefore, Hp eradication should only be initiated in accordance with currently accepted indications of Hp treatment guidelines.

BSACI guideline for the management of chronic urticaria and angioedema

This guidance for the management of patients with chronic urticaria and angioedema has been prepared by the Standards of Care Committee of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI). The guideline is based on evidence as well as on expert opinion and is aimed at both adult physicians and paediatricians practising in allergy. The recommendations are evidence graded. During the development of these guidelines, all BSACI members were included in the consultation process using a Web-based system. Their comments and suggestions were carefully considered by the Standards of Care Committee. Where evidence was lacking, a consensus was reached by the experts on the committee. Included in this management guideline are clinical classification, aetiology, diagnosis, investigations, treatment guidance with special sections on children with urticaria and the use of antihistamines in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Finally, we have made recommendations for potential areas of future research.

Chronic urticaria in adults: state-of-the-art in the new millennium

Chronic urticaria has been explored in several investigative aspects in the new millennium, either as to its pathogenesis, its stand as an autoimmune or auto-reactive disease, the correlation with HLA-linked genetic factors, especially with class II or its interrelation with the coagulation and fibrinolysis systems. New second-generation antihistamines, which act as good symptomatic drugs, emerged and were commercialized over the last decade. Old and new drugs that may interfere with the pathophysiology of the disease, such as cyclosporine and omalizumab have been developed and used as treatments. The purpose of this article is to describe the current state of knowledge on aspects of chronic urticaria such as, pathophysiology, diagnosis and the current therapeutic approach proposed in the literature.

Association between Helicobacter pylori Infection and Chronic Urticaria: A Meta-Analysis

Background. Some studies have shown the possible involvement of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in chronic urticaria, but the relationship remains controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to quantitatively assess the association between H. pylori infection and chronic urticaria. Methods. Observational studies comparing the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with chronic urticaria and control subjects were identified through a systematic search in MEDLINE and EMBASE up to July 2014. H. pylori infection was confirmed by serological or nonserological tests. For subgroup analyses, studies were separated by region, publication year, and H. pylori detection method to screen the potential factors resulting in heterogeneity. Results. 16 studies involving 965 CU cases and 1235 controls were included. Overall, the prevalence of H. pylori infection was higher in urticarial patients than in controls (OR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.12–2.45; P = 0.01). This result persisted in subanalysis of nine high-quality studies (OR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.03–1.80; P = 0.03). Subgroup analysis showed that detection method of H. pylori is also a potential influential factor for the overall results. Conclusions. Our present meta-analysis suggests that H. pylori infection is significantly, though weakly, associated with an increased risk of chronic urticaria.

Helicobacter pylori infection is not associated with fatty liver disease including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a large-scale cross-sectional study in Japan

BACKGROUND

Fatty liver disease (FLD) including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a rapidly emerging and widely recognized liver disease today, is regarded as a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. Helicobacter pylori, one of the most common pathogens worldwide, has been reported to be associated with metabolic syndrome, but whether there is a direct association with FLD is as of yet unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the association of FLD and NAFLD with causative background factors including Helicobacter pylori infection.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of Japanese adults who received medical checkups at a single medical center in 2010.Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis was performed to evaluate background factors for ultrasonography diagnosed FLD. Subjects free from alcohol influence were similarly analyzed for NAFLD.

RESULTS

Of a total of 13,737 subjects, FLD was detected in 1,456 of 6,318 females (23.0 %) and 3,498 of 7,419 males (47.1%). Multivariable analyses revealed that body mass index (standardized coefficients of females and males (β-F/M) =143.5/102.5), serum ALT (β-F/M = 25.8/75.7), age (β-F/M = 34.3/17.2), and platelet count (β-F/M = 17.8/15.2) were positively associated with FLD in both genders. Of the 5,289 subjects free from alcohol influence, NAFLD was detected in 881 of 3,473 females (25.4%) and 921 of 1,816 males (50.7%). Body mass index (β-F/M = 113.3/55.3), serum ALT (β-F/M = 21.6/53.8), and platelet count (β-F/M = 13.8/11.8) were positively associated with NAFLD in both genders. Metabolic syndrome was positively associated with FLD and NAFLD only in males. In contrast, Helicobacter pylori infection status was neither associated with FLD nor NAFLD regardless of gender.

CONCLUSIONS

Body mass index, serum ALT and platelet count were significantly associated with FLD and NAFLD, whereas infection of Helicobacter pylori was not.

Relationship between Helicobacter pylori and idiopathic chronic urticaria: effectiveness of Helicobacter pylori eradication

INTRODUCTION

Chronic urticaria (CU) is defined as the presence of urticaria on most days of the week for a period of 6 weeks or longer. Some studies have reported an association between CU and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

AIM

To determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection using the stool antigen test in patients with idiopathic CU and to investigate the infected patients with CU following eradication of H. pylori.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

One hundred patients with idiopathic CU and 100 healthy controls were referred to our clinic between May 2012 and June 2013 and were tested for H. pylori antigen. The patients infected with H. pylori received quadruple therapy for 2 weeks. To assess eradication efficacy, a repeated H. pylori stool antigen test was performed in each patient 6 weeks after the end of anti-H. pylori therapy. The effectiveness of eradication therapy on CU was assessed 3 months after treatment.

RESULTS

Thirty-six percent patients with idiopathic CU were infected with H. pylori while 23% of the controls were infected. Response to eradication therapy was evident in 33 (91.67%) patients in whom H. pylori was eradicated while 3 (8.33%) patients showed no response despite eradication of H. pylori. Clinical follow-up of 33 successfully treated patients 3 months later revealed complete remission of urticaria in 54.5%, partial remission in 18.2%, and no improvement in 27.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study suggest that H. pylori infection should be included in diagnostic workup of patients with no response to habitual treatment for CU or symptomatic gastrointestinal patients. For the diagnosis of H. pylori infection, one should consider the costs and accessibility of the population to the HpSA(®) stool antigen test and Urea breath test (UBT).

Extraintestinal manifestations of Helicobacter pylori: A concise review

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been clearly linked to peptic ulcer disease and some gastrointestinal malignancies. Increasing evidence demonstrates possible associations to disease states in other organ systems, known as the extraintestinal manifestations of H. pylori. Different conditions associated with H. pylori infection include those from hematologic, cardiopulmonary, metabolic, neurologic, and dermatologic systems. The aim of this article is to provide a concise review of the evidence that supports or refutes the associations of H. pylori and its proposed extraintestinal manifestations. Based on data from the literature, PUD, mucosal associated lymphoid tumors lymphoma, and gastric adenocarcinoma has well-established links. Current evidence most supports extraintestinal manifestations with H. pylori in immune thrombocytopenic purpura, iron deficiency anemia, urticaria, Parkinson’s, migraines and rosacea; however, there is still plausible link with other diseases that requires further research.

Eradication therapy for urticaria with high titers of anti H. pylori IgG antibody

BACKGROUND

It is known that idiopathic chronic urticaria occasionally develops with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, but the association between urticaria and H. pylori remains unknown.

METHODS

We focused on the relationship between the titer of anti H. pylori IgG antibodies and urticaria. Sixty-five patients with idiopathic urticaria were divided into 3 groups by a difference of their titers. All patients in the high titer (≥40U/ml) group underwent endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract with antral biopsy for the Rapid Urease Test (RUT) or a culture test. We investigated the relationship between the efficacy of eradication therapy against H. pylori and urticaria.

RESULTS

The positive rate for H. pylori was 100% (20/20) by RUT or culture test in the high titer group. A CR using antihistamines alone was 0% (0/20) in the high titer group, 27.2% (3/11) in the low titer group and 38.2% (13/34) in the negative group respectively. A CR or PR using antihistamines was 70% (14/20) in the high titer group, 81.8% (9/11) in the low titer group and 97.1% (33/34) in the negative group. After successful eradication therapy, the CR was increased to 56% (9/16) in the high titer group.

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of acute or chronic urticaria, a high titer of anti H. pylori IgG antibody can be an indicator for undergoing upper endoscopy, and eradication therapy is strongly recommended. It will be necessary to develop diagnostic criteria for urticaria associated with H. pylori.

The Clinical Correlations of Helicobacter pylori Virulence Factors and Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria

Background and Study Aims. The association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) remains controversial. This study explored the role of H. pylori in CSU among different virulent genotypes patients. Patients and Methods. Patients infected by H. pylori were sorted into two groups as group A (with CSU) and group B (without CSU). The tissue materials were taken via endoscopy for polymerase chain reaction study to determine virulence factors. After H. pylori eradication therapy, the eradication rate and response of urticaria were evaluated by using C(13)-UBT and a three-point scale (complete remission, partial remission, or no improvement). Results. The results were comparable between patients of groups A and B in terms of H. pylori infection rates and eradication rate. Longitudinal follow-up of 23.5 months showed complete remission of urticaria in 63.6% but no improvement in 36.4% of the patients after H. pylori eradication. H. pylori infected patients with different virulence factors such as cytotoxin-associated gene A, vacuolating cytotoxin gene A signal region and middle region have similar remission rates for CSU. Conclusions. Current study suggests that H. pylori may play a role in the development and disease course of CSU but may be irrelevant to different virulent genotypes.

In vitro bactericidal activity of Jinghua Weikang Capsule and its individual herb Chenopodium ambrosioides L. against antibiotic-resistant Helicobacter pylori

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the bactericidal effects of Jinghua Weikang Capsule and its major component Chenopodium ambrosioides L. on antibiotic-resistant Helicobacter pylori.

METHODS

Four clinical antibiotic-resistant H. pylori strains were isolated and incubated in liquid medium containing Jinghua Weikang Capsule or Chenopodium ambrosioides L. By means of time-kill curve method, the average colony counts and bactericidal rate were calculated at time points of 0, 4, 8 and 24 h after the incubation and the time-kill curves were charted.

RESULTS

Both Jinghua Weikang Capsule and Chenopodium ambrosioides L. at a concentration of 0.64 g/L showed obvious bactericidal effect against antibiotic-resistant H. pylori after 4 h of incubation.

CONCLUSION

Jinghua Weikang Capsule and Chenopodium ambrosioides L. are considered to be active against antibiotic-resistant H. pylori in vitro.

Chronic urticaria following acute hepatitis A

Urticaria has a documented association with the prodromal phases of hepatitis A, B and, although still contentious, likely hepatitis C. Despite the documented association there are few actual reported cases of urticaria occurring with hepatitis A infection and in all of the cases reported so far the urticaria preceded the diagnosis of hepatitis A and was acute rather than chronic. We describe a case of urticaria occurring following acute infection with hepatitis A, which persisted beyond 6 weeks and therefore was by definition chronic. Although chronic urticaria has been reported to be associated with other forms of viral hepatitis, to the best of our knowledge this has not been reported previously with hepatitis A.

Role of Nasal Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in Chronic Urticaria

Aim:

To evaluate the role of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in patients suffering from chronic urticaria.

Method:

All total 82 patients were included for this study. Study group comprised 57 patients with chronic urticaria and the control group comprised 25 healthy volunteers. Nasal swab specimens were taken from all the 82 patients for bacterial culture and antimicrobial sensitivity. Patients with chronic urticaria who had positive growth for S. aureus were treated with sensitive antimicrobial agent. Nasal swab specimens were taken again from all the patients who received antimicrobial therapy to ensure complete eradication of S. aureus. All patients were followed up for a period of 6 weeks after the treatment. Urticarial activity was measured with the help of urticarial activity score.

Results:

S. aureus was detected in swab specimens from the nasal cavity in 32 patients in the study group and 7 patients in the control group. In the study group, after the antimicrobial treatment, 9 patients (28.12%) had complete recovery from urticaria during the follow-up period; 4 patients (12.5%) showed partial recovery from urticaria while the remaining patients (59.37%) continued to suffer from urticaria.

Conclusion:

This study showed that nasal carriage of S. aureus can act as an etiological factor in chronic urticaria.

Chronic idiophatic urticaria and Helicobacter pylori: a specific pattern of gastritis and urticaria remission after Helicobacter pylori eradication

Chronic urticaria (CU) is defined as the occurrence of spontaneous wheals for a duration of more than 6 weeks and is the most frequent skin disease, with prevalence ranging between 15 and 25%, and is a seriously disabling condition, with social isolation and mood changes causing a significant degree of dysfunction and quality of life impairment to many patients. The main clinical features of CU are the repeated occurrence of transient eruptions of pruritic wheals or patchy erythema on the skin that last less than 24 hours and disappear without sequelae. CU is often defined as chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) because the causes of CU remain unknown in the great majority (70-95%) of patients. Drugs, food, viruses, alimentary conservative substances or inhalant substances often seem to be involved in determining CIU skin flare. Despite a general agreement that bacteria infections and parasitic infestations can be involved in the pathogenesis of CIU, proven evidence of these relationships is lacking. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, and the extension and severity of gastritis in a group of CIU patients compared to controls and to evaluate the effectiveness of eradication of Hp on the CIU symptomatology, and the role of Hp infection in pathogenesis of CIU.

Future candidates for indications of Helicobacter pylori eradication: do the indications need to be revised?

Since the discovery of Helicobacter pylori in 1982, the development of several treatment guidelines has allowed a consensus on the indications for H. pylori eradication. Beyond these currently accepted indications, including various upper gastrointestinal disorders and extragastric diseases, a significant amount of new information regarding H. pylori eradication is emerging. Certain types of acute gastritis, such as nodular gastritis, hypertrophic gastritis, Ménétrier's disease, hemorrhagic gastritis, and granulomatous gastritis are reversible after H. pylori eradication. Further, for chronic gastritis, closed-type atrophic gastritis and complete-type intestinal metaplasia appear to be more reversible after H. pylori eradication than open-type atrophic gastritis and incomplete-type intestinal metaplasia. Eradication can also be considered in subjects younger than 40 years who have a family history of gastric cancer and in subjects with long-term medications that might lead to bleeding (antiplatelet agents) or atrophy (proton pump inhibitors). Emerging evidence indicates that H. pylori eradication could be an effective treatment for some extragastric diseases that are unresponsive to conventional therapy. In such conditions, routine screening for eradication of H. pylori has not previously been recommended; a "test-and-treat" approach is suggested in the aforementioned situations. Given that H. pylori eradication is effective when the gastritis is reversible, future indications should be expanded to include acute gastric lesions that show marked improvement upon H. pylori eradication rather than just focusing on chronic gastric lesions. Future indications for H. pylori eradication should focus more on reversible lesions before preneoplastic conditions develop.

Acute-phase response in chronic urticaria

The patterns of acute-phase response (APR) biomarkers differ upon various inflammatory conditions. Little information is available on the systemic inflammatory response in urticaria/angio-oedema. It has been shown that concentrations of circulating APR biomarkers, IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), are elevated more in severe chronic urticaria (CU) than in patients showing milder urticarial symptoms. It is not clear whether the increase of IL-6 and CRP is merely an epiphenomenon or may contribute to the pathogenesis of CU. It is tempting to speculate that mediators of APR may enhance urticarial inflammation. In addition, there is some association between APR and activation of coagulation/fibrinolysis in CU. It is well known that even slight elevation in CRP baseline concentration is enough to produce significant increase in cardiovascular risk. In this light, one should ask whether CU patients, in particular those showing stronger systemic inflammatory response and long-lasting course are more vulnerable to the cardiovascular events. Apart from highly troublesome symptoms and low quality of life, CU may then involve some remote, serious systemic consequences. Taken together, CU can be identified as a mast cell- and basophil-dependent inflammatory disorder of the skin, which is accompanied by APR. Characterization of APR in CU may appear essential for an insight into the activity of this disease and for assessment of the inflammation degree. Moreover, measurement of these biomarkers might be particularly relevant while assessing CU patients demanding an anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive therapy. This review summarizes information regarding APR in the course of urticaria/angio-oedema.

A localized case-control study of extra-gastric manifestations of Helicobacter pylori infection in children

OBJECTIVE

To study extra- gastric manifestations of H. pylori infection among children in Egypt.

METHODS

This case-control study in which thirty [corrected] H pylori positive children were compared to thirty [corrected] H pylori negative children was conducted. Full history taking, clinical examination, CBC, serum iron, serum ferritin in addition to H pylori antibody testing were performed.

RESULTS

Mean hemoglobin, MCV, MCH, serum iron and serum ferritin were all less in seropositive patients but these were statistically non significant. Iron deficiency (ID) was defined as serum ferritin less than 12 ng/ml; and Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) as hemoglobin less than 11 g/dL in addition to ID. Seropositive patients showed increased frequency of ID and IDA and this was statistically significant (0.003 & 0.000 respectively). There was no statistically significant difference as regards the platelet counts of the two groups or the presence of skin disorders or the gender.

CONCLUSIONS

There is increased incidence of ID and IDA among H pylori positive children. This needs to be confirmed by larger therapeutic randomized controlled trials. The hematological response to eradication therapy needs to be further studied.

Clinical study of the relationship between Helicobacter pylori and chronic urticaria and prurigo chronica multiformis: effectiveness of eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori

Eighty two patients with chronic urticaria and 17 patients with prurigo chronica multiformis were referred to our department from October 2004 to February 2007 and were tested for Helicobacter pylori antigen using the polyclonal H. pylori stool antigen test (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method). H. pylori antigen was detected in 25 (30.5%) of the 82 patients with chronic urticaria and in 10 (58.8%) of the 17 patients with prurigo chronica multiformis. Those findings were not significantly higher than the positive rate for H. pylori stool antigen in healthy age-matched controls. In patients positive for H. pylori antigen, seven of the 25 with chronic urticaria had complications of gastritis (six patients) or gastric ulcers (one patient). Three of the 10 patients with prurigo chronica multiformis had complications of gastritis (two patients) or gastric ulcers (one patient). We examined the therapeutic efficacy of antibacterial treatment for the 17 patients with chronic urticaria and the eight patients with prurigo chronica multiformis who were positive for H. pylori antigen and accepted the treatment based on informed consent. We evaluated the effectiveness of treatment by scoring the skin conditions and by using the Skindex-16, a measure of quality of life. The eradication therapy for H. pylori was more effective for treating prurigo chronica multiformis and the skin symptoms started to improve within 3-14 days after the therapy. However, that therapy was not always effective for treating chronic urticaria. We suggest that H. pylori may be an important pathogenetic factor, especially for prurigo chronica multiformis, and that eradication therapy should be considered to treat intractable cases.

Effectiveness of Helicobacter pylori eradication in chronic urticaria: evidence-based analysis using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Chronic urticaria is a common and often frustrating condition that physicians encounter in the outpatient setting. Its management continues to be a challenge, and an exogenous cause for chronic urticaria is only found rarely. Helicobacter pylori has been implicated as a factor for many disorders and proposed as an etiologic factor for chronic urticaria. We aim to provide a comprehensive review of the data on H. pylori eradication for treatment of chronic urticaria by utilizing the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to analyze and determine the quality of evidence for this proposed therapy.

RECENT FINDINGS

Although H. pylori eradication has been recommended as part of routine chronic urticaria management by multiple authors, the trials of H. pylori eradication in the treatment of chronic urticaria have yielded conflicting results and suffer from substantial methodological limitations.

SUMMARY

Our critical appraisal of the 10 trials showing the benefit of H. pylori eradication in patients with chronic urticaria leads to an overall very low grade for this intervention. Appraisal of nine studies in which H. pylori eradication showed no benefit in the course of chronic urticaria also leads to an overall very low grade. The evidence that H. pylori eradication leads to improvement of chronic urticaria outcomes is weak and conflicting; this leads to a weak recommendation for routine H. pylori eradication for patients with chronic urticaria. For this reason, a decision to proceed with this management should be considered carefully in the context of relative harms/burdens and benefits, as well as patient values and preferences.

Chronic urticaria: assessment of current treatment

Chronic urticaria is heterogenous, long-persisting and has a severe impact on quality of life and daily work. Effective treatment is essential but remains a confounding problem. This review summarizes available treatment strategies for chronic urticaria and their strength of evidence. Besides treatment of identified triggering factors such as chronic persistent bacterial infections (e.g., with Helicobacter pylori, streptococci, staphylococci or yersinia), standard treatment consists of nonsedating H1-antihistamines. Most patients require increasing (off-label) dosages that should be taken daily and regularly, however, this still fails in a third of cases. Reliable alternatives in the world literature are rare and the level of evidence is low. Certain subgroups may display benefit from additional treatment with cyclosporine A, cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonists, chloroquine, dapsone or other alternatives. A practicable step-wise treatment approach is given to optimize and individualize the treatment of patients with chronic urticaria.

Guidelines for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection in Japan: 2009 revised edition

BACKGROUND

Over the past few years, the profile of Helicobacter pylori infection has changed in Japan. In particular, the relationship between H. pylori and gastric cancer has been demonstrated more clearly. Accordingly, the committee of the Japanese Society for Helicobacter Research has revised the guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori infection in Japan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Four meetings of guidelines preparation committee were held from July 2007 to December 2008. In the new guidelines, recommendations for treatment have been classified into five grades according to the Minds Recommendation Grades, while the level of evidence has been classified into six grades. The Japanese national health insurance system was not taken into consideration when preparing these guidelines.

RESULTS

Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy achieved a Grade A recommendation, being useful for the treatment of gastric or duodenal ulcer, for the treatment and prevention of H. pylori-associated diseases such as gastric cancer, and for inhibiting the spread of H. pylori infection. Levels of evidence were determined for each disease associated with H. pylori infection. For the diagnosis of H. pylori infection, measurement of H. pylori antigen in the feces was added to the tests not requiring biopsy. One week of proton-pump inhibitor-based triple therapy (including amoxicillin and metronidazole) was recommended as second-line therapy after failure of first-line eradication therapy.

CONCLUSION

The revised Japanese guidelines for H. pylori are based on scientific evidence and avoid the administrative restraints that applied to earlier versions.

Urticaria and infections

Urticaria is a group of diseases that share a distinct skin reaction pattern. Triggering of urticaria by infections has been discussed for many years but the exact role and pathogenesis of mast cell activation by infectious processes is unclear. In spontaneous acute urticaria there is no doubt for a causal relationship to infections and all chronic urticaria must have started as acute. Whereas in physical or distinct urticaria subtypes the evidence for infections is sparse, remission of annoying spontaneous chronic urticaria has been reported after successful treatment of persistent infections. Current summarizing available studies that evaluated the course of the chronic urticaria after proven Helicobacter eradication demonstrate a statistically significant benefit compared to untreated patients or Helicobacter-negative controls without urticaria (p < 0.001). Since infections can be easily treated some diagnostic procedures should be included in the routine work-up, especially the search for Helicobacter pylori. This review will update the reader regarding the role of infections in different urticaria subtypes.

Etiologic aspects and prognostic factors of patients with chronic urticaria: nonrandomized, prospective, descriptive study

BACKGROUND

Studies investigating etiologic factors in chronic urticaria are based on small populations of a few hundred patients. In addition, data on prognostic factors of the disorder are scarce.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the etiologic and prognostic factors of chronic urticaria on a large population referred to tertiary specialized hospital departments.

METHODS

The study investigated 2,523 patients with chronic urticaria and a negative autologous serum skin test using anamnesis, and the literature suggested laboratory tests for etiologic factors of the disorder. The patients were prescribed cetirizine 10 mg daily plus treatment of any underlying disorders illuminated by the laboratory investigation. The rescue medicine was loratadine 10 mg. The patients were evaluated every 3 months. Comparative statistical methods were used to evaluate the prognostic factors having an impact on the duration of the disorder until resolution of symptoms.

RESULTS

Etiologic factors of chronic urticaria-angioedema were identified in 38.7% of the patients. Physical urticarias had a prevalence of 17.1% in the population under study. Other common etiologic factors identified included infection (7.7%) and autoimmune thyropathy (7.3%). Multiple regression analysis showed that female gender, long duration of the disorder at the initial examination, the presence of angioedema, and physical urticarias are associated with worse prognosis of the disorder, whereas increased self-reported stress and psychiatric disease had no impact on the course of the disorder.

CONCLUSION

A detailed medical history and selective laboratory tests can illuminate etiologic factors in less than 40% of patients with chronic urticaria. Prognostic factors identified to impact the natural history of the disorder could be helpful when designing studies assessing the efficacy of therapeutic agents for chronic urticaria.

Management of difficult urticaria

Chronic urticaria, a major health problem causing patient's distress, induces often physicians' dilemma while dealing with its etiology, investigations and management. Clinical approach of such cases should include apart from clinical history and physical examination laboratory investigations like routine blood test, thyroid profile, etc. as well as sometimes special test like autologous serum skin test. Management includes reassurance, avoidance of precipitating factors, treatment of underlying disorders, and non-pharmacological approach along with pharmacotherapy. First line drug therapy comprises non-sedative and sedative antihistamines, second line doxepin, nifedipine, leukotriene-inhibitors, sulfasalazine, etc. and third line cyclosporine, dapsone, colchicin, etc.

Urticaria : a review

Urticaria is often classified as acute, chronic, or physical based on duration of symptoms and the presence or absence of inducing stimuli. Urticarial vasculitis, contact urticaria, and special syndromes are also included under the broad heading of urticaria. Recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria include the finding of autoantibodies to mast cell receptors in nearly half of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria. These patients may have more severe disease and require more aggressive therapies. Extensive laboratory evaluation for patients with chronic urticaria is typically unrevealing and there are no compelling data that associate urticaria with chronic infections or malignancy. Pharmacologic therapy consists primarily of the appropriate use of first- and second-generation histamine H(1) receptor antihistamines. Additional therapy may include leukotriene receptor antagonists, corticosteroids, and immunomodulatory agents for severe, unremitting disease. Despite our greater understanding of the pathogenesis of urticaria, the condition remains a frustrating entity for many patients, particularly those with chronic urticaria.

An approach to the patient with urticaria

Patients with urticaria make up a large proportion of the referrals to allergy clinics. There are many causes of urticaria and it is the clinical history which is most important when attempting to identify potential causes; however, urticaria is very often idiopathic. In a small minority of patients urticaria may be a symptom of a serious underlying medical illness or the allergic symptoms may progress to cause systemic reactions, and it is important to identify these patients and to remember that severe urticaria is a distressing and disabling condition. This review will discuss classification, investigation and treatment of urticaria and will consider some of the more unusual types of urticaria that may be encountered in the out-patient clinic.

Helicobacter pylori infection and allergic diseases: epidemiological study in Japanese university students

BACKGROUND AND AIM

A negative association between Helicobacter pylori infection and allergic diseases has not been consistent. The aim of this study was to examine the association between allergic diseases and H. pylori infection in Japan.

METHODS

Newly enrolled university students completed health survey questionnaires regarding general health and the presence of allergic diseases. Helicobacter pylori status was determined by the presence of serum H. pylori IgG and the presence of allergic manifestations was confirmed by interview.

RESULTS

A total of 1953 students had a routine health survey; H. pylori status was determined in 777 including 369 with allergic diseases and 408 controls. The reported frequency of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, bronchial asthma and mixed diseases was 29.0%, 11.1%, 2.0%, 0.9% and 5.0%, respectively. Helicobacter pylori infection was diagnosed less frequently in the allergic group compared with controls (11.4% vs 17.6%, P = 0.015). Helicobacter pylori infection was less frequent in men with allergic diseases (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.27-0.89).

CONCLUSION

Allergic diseases are frequent in young Japanese adults and are negatively associated with H. pylori infection especially in men.

Urticaria: its history-based diagnosis and etiologically oriented treatment

INTRODUCTION

The term "urticaria" refers to any of a group of distinct skin conditions that are characterized by itchy, wheal-and-flare skin reactions (hives). In spontaneous urticaria, the most common type, the hives seem to arise without provocation.

METHODS

Selective review of the literature, including current guidelines.

RESULTS

Spontaneous urticaria is divided into acute (lasting less than six weeks) and chronic types. The pathognomonic itching, hives, and angioedema arise by the same mechanism--cutaneous mast cell activation and release of histamine and other mediators of inflammation--in both acute and chronic urticaria, but these two disorders have different etiological profiles. The underlying cause of acute urticaria cannot be identified in about half of all cases. Chronic urticaria, which is much rarer, is usually caused by autoreactivity, chronic infection, or intolerance to food additives. If the condition persists after the underlying cause has been treated or eliminated, non-sedating antihistamines are the agents of first choice for symptomatic treatment.

DISCUSSION

Unlike acute urticaria, which is self-limited and should be treated symptomatically, chronic urticaria should be treated by the identification and elimination of underlying causes, which is usually curative.

Candida spp. colonization and serum anticandidal antibody levels in patients with chronic urticaria

BACKGROUND

The role of Candida infections in the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria (CU) is debatable. Objective. In this study, we investigated the role of Candida spp. colonization and infection in patients with CU.

METHODS

In total, 38 patients with CU and a control group of 42 healthy individuals consented for inclusion in the study. Stool and oral specimens from all participants were cultured and evaluated quantitatively. Candida albicans ELISA IgG/IgM/IgA test kits were used for the detection of antibodies against C. albicans in the sera of patients and controls.

RESULTS

Yeasts were isolated from the stools of 60.5% of the patients and 50.0% of the controls (P = 0.78, Student's t-test) and from oral specimens in 47.4% and 42.9% (P = 0.85, Student's t-test), respectively. Colony counts in the positive specimens of both groups were not significantly different. IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies were positive in 36.8%, 23.8% and 5.3% of the patients and in 42.9%, 19.1% and 4.8% of the controls, respectively. The qualitative and quantitative results of the antibodies were not significantly different between the two groups (chi2 test).

CONCLUSION

Intestinal and oral colonization of Candida spp. and serological evidence of Candida infections were not significantly different between patients with CU and controls. Claims of triggering of CU by Candida spp. should be explored in studies that measure allergic reactivity to Candida, and also in those that include eradication therapy.

[Does Helicobacter pylori infection play a role in extragastric diseases?]

Since the discovery of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), numerous studies have considered the possibility that it plays a role in different extragastric diseases. Most of these studies may be classified as epidemiological studies or investigations of H. pylori eradication, but there are also case reports and in vitro studies. This review reveals the limitations common to most of them. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is the disease for which the strongest association with H. pylori infection has been shown. Data are also accumulating about the role of H. pylori infection in idiopathic iron deficiency anemia and chronic idiopathic urticaria. Interesting results show that H. pylori infection affects atherosclerosis and is weakly associated with ischemic heart disease and stroke. Moreover, CagA-positive H. pylori strains may play a role in the natural history of atherosclerotic stroke. Recent studies suggest a link between H. pylori and Parkinson's disease. Preliminary data indicate that H. pylori infection impairs gastric ghrelin production and may influence nutritional status. The association between H. pylori infection and other extragastric diseases remains controversial. H. pylori infection may cause extragastric manifestations directly or indirectly, by various mechanisms including atrophic gastritis, the release of inflammatory mediators, molecular mimicry, and systemic immune response. Evidence suggests that anti-H. pylori therapy improves idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (significant increase of platelet count in half of the cases), iron-deficiency anemia, and chronic urticaria (30% remission rate), but the data from randomized controlled trials are insufficient to confirm these positive effects.