MedWire News: In patients with peptic ulcers, successful treatment to eradicate the ulcer-causing bacterium Helicobacter pylori may result in the development of reflux oesophagitis, but the condition is often mild and short-lived, say Japanese researchers.

Reflux oesophagitis is a condition in which the oesophagus becomes inflamed because of exposure to digestive acid 'escaping' from the stomach. Symptoms include swallowing difficulties, heartburn, nausea and vomiting.

Professor Motowo Mizuno, from Hiroshima City Hospital, and team studied data on 1195 patients with peptic ulcers who tested positive for Helicobacter pylori infection.

Oesophageal examinations conducted before Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy showed that none of the participants had reflux oesophagitis.

After eradication therapy, the patients were monitored for more than 3 years to identify all those who developed reflux oesophagitis.

The researchers found that 28% of patients who were successfully treated Helicobacter pylori infection developed reflux oesophagitis compared with just 14% of 187 patients in whom the treatment was unsuccessful.

However, oesophagitis was mild in most patients, short-lived in around 50% and seldom needed long-term medical treatment.

Dr Mizuno and team conclude in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology: "Cure of Helicobacter pylori infection may increase the risk of developing reflux oesophagitis in patients with peptic ulcer, but the oesophagitis is mostly mild and transient, and long-term medication is rarely required.

"Thus, Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy need not be withheld for fear of provoking reflux oesophagitis."