Abstract
AIM: To compare the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection in autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (AITP) patients with that of nonthrombocytopenic controls, and to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment in H pylori(+) and H pylori(-) AITP patients. METHODS: The prevalence of gastric H pylori infection in 38 adult AITP patients (29 female and 9 male; median age 27 years; range 18-39 years) who consecutively admitted to our clinic was investigated. RESULTS: H pylori infection was found in 26 of 38 AITP patients (68.5%). H pylori infection was found in 15 of 23 control subjects (65.2%). The difference in H pylori infection between the 2 groups was not significant. Thrombocyte count of H pylori-positive AITP patients was significantly lower than that of H pylori-negative AITP patients (P<0.05). Thrombocyte recovery of H pylori-positive group was less than that of H pylori-negative group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: H pylori infection should be considered in the treatment of AITP patients with H pylori infection.