Helicobacter Pylori Infections in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Objective: We aimed to investigate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using the C-14 urea-breath test (C14UBT) and to determine whether there is an association between H. pylori infection and the severity of COPD. This is the first report in the literature of the use of C14UBT to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori in patients with COPD.Materials and Methods: Fifty subjects with COPD (38 males and 12 females, aged 61±10 years) and 20 control subjects (10 males and 10 females, aged 55±11 years) were evaluated. C14UBT was used to determine H. pylori infection. Results: The prevalences of H. pylori infection in subjects with COPD and in controls were 72% and 65%, respectively (p=0.56). Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) values were significantly higher in the H. pylori-infected subjects with COPD than in the uninfected subjects (p=0.008 and p=0.006, respectively). Conclusion: The presence of H. pylori infection in COPD patients affects pulmonary functions, but the effects of H. pylori infection on the respiratory system and COPD are not clear.