Abstract

AIMS: To measure insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations in the presence and absence of Helicobacter pylori infection and in response to eradication of the organism. METHODS: An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure gastric and fasting serum concentrations of IGF-I in 17 patients with and 11 without H pylori infection. Repeat assessments were performed in the infected patients six weeks after they received a two week course of bismuth chelate, metronidazole, and amoxycillin. RESULTS: IGF-I was detected at very low concentrations in gastric juice and in mucosal incubates. The median serum IGF-I concentration was 88 micrograms/l in the patients infected with H pylori compared with 90 micrograms/l in the non-infected controls; IGF-I concentrations dropped to 77 micrograms/l following eradication therapy (p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: The similarity in baseline IGF-I concentrations in the presence and absence of H pylori suggests that their subsequent drop after treatment is more likely to be due to the treatment.