Serum Zinc Status and Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Gastric Disease Patients

The role of Helicobacter pylori status and serum zinc value in gastric disease patients and healthy controlswere investigated. Cases used in this work were 45 gastric cancer patients, 44 with peptic ulcers, 52 sufferinggastritis and 64 healthy controls, all diagnosed histologically with the controls undergoing medical checkups.Helicobacter pylori status and serum levels of Zn were determined by 13C-urea breath test and flame atomicabsorption spectrophotometer, respectively. Our study showed that Helicobacter pylori infection has no changein gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer group, on the contrast, serum levels of Zn were significantly reducedin gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer group, compared with healthy controls, and the higher the Zn levelsare, the more increased risk of gastric cancer. Helicobacter pylori infection is a cause of gastritis, peptic ulcers andeven gastric cancer, while serum zinc level is an indicator of protection of gastric membranes against damage