Helicobacter pylori density and expression of gastric mucosal interleukin-8 in dyspeptic patients

Background: The density of the H. pylori colonies is associated with more severe clinical manifestations, chronic infections, ineffective therapy responses and malignant events. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is one of cytokines that plays a role in the inflammatory process that results in gastric mucosal damage. We determined the association between H. pylori density and gastric mucosal IL-8 expression in dyspeptic patients. Methods: H. pylori density was determined using histopathology based on Updated Sydney System. IL-8 levels were measured using immunohistochemistry from the gastric biopsy. Results: There was significant difference between gastric mucosal IL-8 expression obtained in gastric mucosal gland epithelium (p = 0.028) at mild and high density of H. pylori (p = 0.013). There was a correlation between H. pylori density with gastric mucosal IL-8 expression of glandular epithelium (r = 0.622; p = 0.004), surface epithelium (r = 0.510; p = 0.026), and inflammatory cells (r = 0.054; = 0.028). Conclusion: We found a significant positive correlation between H. pylori density and gastric mucosal IL-8 expression in dyspeptic patients.