ET ISSUE 2198 Friday 1 June 2001 Antibiotics may stop indigestion
By David Derbyshire, Medical Correspondent A DOSE of antibiotics could help patients suffering from acute indigestion and heartburn, researchers suggest today. They have found evidence that the Helicobacter pylori bacteria, which are responsible for stomach ulcers, may also contribute to acid reflux, the condition in which stomach acid creeps back into the throat. Wiping out the bug with a course of antibiotics reduced the frequency of the gastric disorder in volunteers, the scientists at University Hospital, Zurich found. H pylori live in the stomachs of 40 per cent of the population. The bacteria are always found in people who have peptic ulcers. The links with indigestion and heartburn are controversial, although some doctors believe the bacteria can make the condition worse. Dr Werner Schwizer - who reports the findings in The Lancet - tested the effects of antibiotics designed to wipe out the bug on 70 patients who had gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, over a six-month period. The results were compared with patients free from infection. Patients lasted an average of 100 days without suffering acid reflux if the bug had been wiped out, compared with 54 days in those patients who were still infected. Those who had never been infected with H pylori lasted an average of 110 days without a relapse. Dr Schwizer said: "Our study has shown that the presence of H pylori leads to a reduced disease-free interval and therefore eradication therapy should be considered in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease."

-- Anonymous, June 01, 2001