The relationship between Raynaud's phenomenon and Helicobacter pylori

BACKGROUND: This study was aimed to reveal whether there is a relationship between Raynaud Phenomenon (RP) and Helicobacter Pylori (HP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy-nine patients, who had been referred to outpatient clinic with Raynaud in the last 9 years were retrospectively screened. Of these, 29 patients with access to their data and who had HP screening tests were included in the study. RESULTS: HP direct antigen was found in feces in only one of 29 patients. When we compared the results of this study to the results of previous literature, it was observed that the patients admitted with RP symptoms by a gastroenterology outpatient clinic had a higher incidence for HP (+) scanning than the patients admitted with RP symptoms by a cardiovascular surgery policlinic (CVSOC). CONCLUSION: Although previous literature reports that HP leads to RP in the group of patients referred to other outpatient clinics, the same relation is very low in the Raynaud patient group in CVSOC. Patients admitted with RP in the CVSOC shouldn't be prescribed empirical antibiotic therapy for the eradication of HP. However, as the appropriate antibiotic regimen can resolve Raynaud symptoms in the presence of a HP(+) test, it makes this scanning rational for all symptomatic patients (Tab. 1, Fig. 1, Ref. 23).