Helicobacter pylori and infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis: is there a possible relationship?
GROUND: Recently, it has been suggested that Helicobacter pylori might be a cause of some cases of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) in infancy on the basis of its epidemiologic and clinical features. We performed this study to evaluate the possible relationship between IHPS and H. pylori. DESIGN: In consecutive infants with IHPS, we performed upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with biopsy before pyloromyotomy. The endoscopic appearance of the pylorus was noted to validate endoscopic features of IHPS. RESULTS: Sixteen infants, 15 male, 14 white, mean age 42 days, range 21 to 104 days, were studied. The index case had chronic active gastritis on biopsy with organisms suspicious for H. pylori. Four others had chronic active gastritis, six more had focal or mild chronic gastritis, five were normal, and none had H. pylori on histology or immune histochemical staining in selected cases. All patients had negative rapid urease test. Most common endoscopic findings of IHPS were thic
