The Role of Helicobacter Pylori in Japanese Children with Chronic Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Although many cases of adulthood chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (cITP) achieving remission after eradication of H. pylori have been reported, little is known about childhood cITP. We conducted the prospective study to establish the prevalence and clinical relevance of eradication of H. pylori infection in children with cITP in Japan.

84 Japanese children with ciTP were entered this study from January 2006 to April 2007. The patients included 40 males and 44 females, with a median age of 13.4 years. For detection of H. pylori, 13 C-urea breathe test (UBT) and/or a stool antigen test were performed. Patients infected with H. pylori were treated according to our eradication protocol.

8 of 84 patients (9.5 %) were positive for H. pylori infection. Six of eight patients, 4 males and 2 females with a median age of 14 years were received the therapy, all but one boy aged 10 years, were successfully eradicated (83.3 %). A transient improvement in platelet counts was identified in one patient; another 4 had no improvement during the 12 months of follow-up after completion of treatment.

The prevalence of H. pylori infection in Japanese children with cITP was 9.5 %. Although, we had demonstrated high successful eradication rate (83.3 %), we concluded that the eradication of H.pylori might ameliorate the clinical courses of cITP in a small subgroup of patients.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.