Effects of probiotics on eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection and subsequent pathological change of gastric mucosa

Objective To investigate the effect of probiotics supplementation on Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy and the outcome of gastric mucosal injury in patient with chronic gastritis. Methods One hundred and four cases of chronic gastritis with Hp infection in our hospital were collected and randomly divided into control group (n=52) and experimental group (n=52). The patients in control group received Hp eradication therapy, while the patients in experiment group were gave Hp eradication and probiotics supplement therapy. The pathological changes of gastric mucosa (including inflammation, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia), Hp eradication rate, gastric mucosa appearance under gastroscopy and clinical symptom were observed and compared before and after intervention for 6 months. Results To some extent, eradication of Hp improved the clinical symptom and the pathological damage of patients in two groups, but the clinical efficacy and Hp eradication rate in the experiment group were better than those in the control group (90.38% vs. 78.85%, P=0.036; 90.38% vs. 75.00%, P=0.038), and the total scores of gastric mucosal pathological change in experimental group was lower than that in the control group after intervention (4.15±1.02 vs. 5.92±1.75, P<0.05), the pathological effect of gastric mucosal inflammation and intestinal metaplasia were significantly improved in experimental group than that in the control group (0.87±0.12 vs. 1.46±0.37, P<0.05; 1.27±0.45 vs. 1.81±0.58, P<0.05). Conclusion The eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection may be benefit for most patients with chronic gastritis. Supplementation of probiotics can effectively raise the clinical efficacy and Hp eradication rate, and lessen the pathological injury of gastric mucosa of patients.