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Severity ofHelicobacter-induced gastric injury correlates with gastric juice ammonia

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Abstract

We postulated that ammonia produced byHelicobacter pylori may contribute to gastric mucosal injury. This hypothesis was evaluated inHelicobacter-positive patients with chronic renal failure in whom a high urea concentration might amplify this phenomenon. Gastric urea and ammonia were measured, and the severity of gastritis was evaluated by counting mononuclear and polymorphonuclear, cells. High gastric ammonia and low urea inHelicobacter-positive patients, and the converse inHelicobacter-negative subjects, were observed. There was a significant correlation between gastric ammonia and interstitial polymorphonuclear leukocytes infiltration (P<0.05), suggesting a causal link. Eradication ofHelicobacter pylori was associated with a decrease of ammonia and an increase of urea (P<0.01). The significant correlation between the severity of gastric inflammation and the gastric juice ammonia concentration suggests that ammonia may play a pathogenic role inHelicobacter-associated gastric injury.

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Author notes

  1. Jan W. Dlugosz MD (Recipient of a Barbara Piasecka-Johnson Foundation Fellowship)

    Present address: Gastroenterology Clinic, Medical School, 15-276, Bialystok, Poland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. GI-Liver Program, Alcohol Research & Treatment Center, Bronx VA Medical Center, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, 10468, New York, Bronx

    Andrzej T. Triebling MD, PhD, Mark A. Korsten MD,  Jan W. Dlugosz MD (Recipient of a Barbara Piasecka-Johnson Foundation Fellowship), Fiorenzo Paronetto MD &  Charles S. Lieber MD

  2. Laboratory Service, Bronx VA Medical Center, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, 10468, Bronx, New York

    Andrzej T. Triebling MD, PhD, Mark A. Korsten MD,  Jan W. Dlugosz MD (Recipient of a Barbara Piasecka-Johnson Foundation Fellowship), Fiorenzo Paronetto MD &  Charles S. Lieber MD

  3. Mt. Sinai School of Medicine (CUNY), New York

    Andrzej T. Triebling MD, PhD, Mark A. Korsten MD,  Jan W. Dlugosz MD (Recipient of a Barbara Piasecka-Johnson Foundation Fellowship), Fiorenzo Paronetto MD &  Charles S. Lieber MD

Authors
  1. Andrzej T. Triebling MD, PhD
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  2. Mark A. Korsten MD
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  3. Jan W. Dlugosz MD
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  4. Fiorenzo Paronetto MD
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  5. Charles S. Lieber MD
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Additional information

This work was supported by the Department of Health and Human Services grants AA07275, AA03508, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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Triebling, A.T., Korsten, M.A., Dlugosz, J.W. et al. Severity ofHelicobacter-induced gastric injury correlates with gastric juice ammonia. Digest Dis Sci 36, 1089–1096 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01297452

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01297452

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