A Retrospective Experience of <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Histology in a Large Sample of Subjects in Northern Italy

• Main Authors: Davide Giuseppe Ribaldone, Carlo Zurlo, Sharmila Fagoonee, Chiara Rosso, Angelo Armandi, Gian Paolo Caviglia, Giorgio Maria Saracco, Rinaldo Pellicano
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
• Series: Life
• Subjects: fundus; body; corpus; antrum; duodenum
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/7/650

Updated data about the prevalence of <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> (<i>H. pylori</i>) and its correlation with histological results are scarce. The aim of our study was to provide current data on the impact of <i>H. pylori</i> in a third-level endoscopy service. We performed a large, retrospective study analyzing the results of all histological samples of gastroscopy from the year 2019. In total, 1512 subjects were included. The prevalence of <i>H. pylori</i> was 16.8%. A significant difference between the prevalence in subjects born in Italy and those from eastern Europe, south America, or Africa was found (<i>p</i> < 0.0001, <i>p</i> = 0.006, and <i>p</i> = 0.0006, respectively). An association was found between <i>H. pylori</i> and active superficial gastritis (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). Current <i>H. pylori</i> and/or a previous finding of <i>H. pylori</i> was related to antral atrophy (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). Fifteen patients had low-grade dysplasia. There were no statistically significant associations with current or past <i>H. pylori</i> infection. One patient presented gastric cardia adenocarcinoma with regular gastric mucosa. One patient, <i>H. pylori</i> positive, was diagnosed with gastric signet ring cell adenocarcinoma in a setting of diffuse atrophy, without metaplasia.. Our study provides updated, solid (biopsy diagnosis and large population) data on the prevalence of <i>H. pylori</i> infection in a representative region of southern Europe.