ORIGINAL ARTICLE   Free

Italian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology 2021 October;156(5):570-4

DOI: 10.23736/S2784-8671.19.06410-1

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Helicobacter pylori infection in psoriatic patients during biological therapy

Federico BARDAZZI ¹, Michela MAGNANO ¹, Giulia FIORINI ², Dino VAIRA ², Giulia ODORICI ³ ✉, Gabriele BERTUSI ¹, Annalisa PATRIZI ¹

¹ Division of Dermatology, Department of Clinical, Experimental and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; ² Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; ³ Section of Dermatology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a relapsing inflammatory disease exacerbated by many triggers. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative bacterium causing the liberation of many cytokines and having a role in systemic inflammation. We assessed over a period of 12 months the presence of H. pylori in psoriatic patients undergoing biologic therapy and how PASI improved after its eradication.
METHODS: We performed an interventional, prospective, cohort, exploratory and mono-centric study in patients affected by moderate-severe psoriasis during biological therapy to assess the correlation between psoriasis (moderate to severe forms), and H. pylori infection. We also checked if the bacterial eradication could improve the severity of psoriasis throughout the variation of PASI over a 12-month period.
RESULTS: The prevalence of H. pylori was 35%. The average of PASI improved in H. pylori positive patients after the eradication (confidence interval: 33-44; P=0.023). H. pylori positive patients were more likely to have psoriatic arthropathy (P=0.049). Gastrointestinal symptoms (such as epigastric pain, postprandial heaviness, pyrosis) were found in only 31.3% of H. pylori positive patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Since the H. pylori infection is often asymptomatic, it can be useful to perform the 13C-Urea breath test, and to eradicate it before to start the psoriasis therapy in order to decrease the level of inflammation.

KEY WORDS: Psoriasis; Helicobacter pylori; Biological therapy