Prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori Infection Among Dyspepsia Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Puducherry

Background: Dyspepsia is a relatively common clinical condition characterized by chronic / recurrent upper abdominal pain or discomfort. Dyspeptic individuals were found to be infected with H-pylori than asymptomatic individuals. Though most individuals are asymptomatic, H. pylori plays a key role in the etiology of many upper gastrointestinal disorder. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional prospective analytical study was done in Department of General surgery, IGMCRI Pondicherry from February 2022 to June 2022. Both male and female patients attending surgery OPD of age 20 to 60 years with upper gastrointestinal symptoms like dyspepsia and epigastric pain were subjected to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and scopy findings noted and a Rapid urease test done for them. Results: The prevalence of H-Pylori was found to be 53%. Gender wise distribution shows more prevalence among females (61%) compared to males (44%). Of the total patients, 72% presented with abdominal pain, 34% presented with associated nausea, vomiting and 50% presented with regurgitation, 47% presented with bloating sensation. 11% present with other associated symptoms like malena and dysphagia. 9 patients with dyspepsia had ulcers in the antral wall and duodenum with 33% RUT positivity. 11 of them presented with pangastritis with 72% RUT positivity, 47 of them had antral gastritis with 66% RUT positivity, and 15 of them were found to have normal endoscopic findings with 33% RUT positivity.47% of the patients with esophageal varices and 20% of the patients with ulceroproliferative growth showed RUT positivity. Conclusion: This study validates that more than half the patients with dyspepsia in our population are H-pylori positive. Early referral for Upper GI endoscopy can help diagnose the same and associated clinical condition and initiate an early anti-H. Pylori regimen to achieve quicker symptom relief in these patients.