Association between helicobacter pylori eradication and weight gain

Background: helicobacter pylori is a common infection highly prevalent globally causing chronic gastritis,duodenal ulcer and gastric carcinoma. it is observed clinically that patients who underwent therapy for eradication of h pylori developed weight gain. objective of this study was to evaluate the association between weight gain and eradication of h pylori infection. method: for this observational cross sectional study,137 patients were studied after confirmation of diagnosis of h pylori. base line data at the beginning of the study and comparison between pre- treatment and post treatment outcomes were assessed after 3 months of follow up. result: after eradication therapy,a difference in body weight was evident from pre-treatment mean body weight of 61.7±12.3 kg to 62.5±11.2 kg (p=0.011). an increase in bmi was recorded from pretreatment bmi of 23.24 ±2.1kg/m2 to 26.4±3.8 kg/m2 (p=0.028). the assessment of symptoms was performed by applying mann-whitney u test of significance; score of symptoms showed a decline in intensity after eradication therapy. mean score of dyspepsia decreased from 2.65 to 1.02 with a p value of 0.024,mean score of epigastric pain from 2.73 to 1.14 (p=0.041),mean upper abdomen fullness from 2.49 to 0.35(p=0.021). a decrease in heart burn was noted 3.46 vs 0.92 (p=0.003) and loss of appetite was less severe; 2.89 vs 0.58 (p=0.011) conclusion: the eradication of h pylori,after 3 months of treatment,is associated with mild weight gain. © 2016,liaquat university of medical and health sciences. all rights reserved.