Helicobacter pylori-positive patients with pruritic skin diseases are a high-risk group of gastric cancer patients: a population based study.

Background: H. pylori infection is associated with peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer and has also been implicated as a possible cause of extraintestinal disorders such as skin diseases. There are a few case reports on patients with skin diseases, such as prurigo nodularis that are associated with gastric cancer. Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of H. pylori infection and the gastric cancer in patients with pruritic skin diseases. Methods: All patients were examined for circulating specific IgG antibodies against H. pylori in sera using ELISA. H. pylori-positive selected patients who were more than 50 years old underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for confirmation of infection and screening of gastric cancer. Results: Seventy five patients with pruritic skin diseases were examined including 43 cases of pruritus cutaneous, 15 cases of nummular dermatitis, 17 cases of prurigo chronica multiforme. The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 70% in pruritus cutaneous, 73% in nummular dermatitis and 76% in pmrigo chronica multiforme. Early gastric cancer was detected in 3 of 30 patients with pruritus cutaneous, 1 of 11 with nummular dermatitis, 1 of 11 with pmrigo chronica multiforme. The prevalence of early gastric cancer was 9.6% which was much higher than the prevalence among patients having general endoscopic screening for gastric cancer. Two patients underwent endoscopic mucosal resection; the others had partial gastrectomy. Conclusions: These results suggest H. pylori -positive patients with pruritic skin diseases are a high risk group of gastric cancer and endoscopic screening is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]