Does the antibody production ability affect the serum anti-Helicobacter pylori IgG titer?

AIM: To investigate the relationship between serum titers of anti-Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) immunoglobulin G(IgG) and hepatitis B virus surface antibody(HBsA b).METHODS: Korean adults were included whose samples had positive Giemsa staining on endoscopic biopsy and were studied in the hepatitis B virus surface antigen(HBsA g)/HBsA b serologic assay,pepsinogen(PG) assay,and H.pylori serologic test on the same day.Subjects were excluded if they were positive for HBs Ag,had a recent history of medication,or had other medical condition(s).We analyzed the effects of the following factors on serum titers of HBsA b and the anti-H.pylori IgG : Age,density of H.pylori infiltration in biopsy samples,serum concentrations of PG Ⅰ and PG Ⅱ,PG Ⅰ/Ⅱ ratio,and white blood cell count.RESULTS: Of 111 included subjects,74(66.7%) exhibited a positive HBsA b finding.The serum anti-H.pylori IgG titer did not correlate with the serum HBsA b titer(P = 0.185); however,it correlated with the degree of H.pylori infiltration on gastric biopsy(P 0.001) and serum PG Ⅱ concentration(P = 0.042).According to the density of H.pylori infiltration on gastric biopsy,subjects could be subdivided into those with a marked(median: 3.95,range 0.82-4.00)(P = 0.458),moderate(median: 3.37,range 1.86-4.00),and mild H.pylori infiltrations(median: 2.39,range 0.36-4.00)(P 0.001).Subjects with a marked H.pylori infiltration on gastric biopsy had the highest serological titer,whereas in subjects with moderate and mild H.pylori infiltrations titers were correspondingly lower(P 0.001).After the successful eradication,significant decreases of the degree of H.pylori infiltration(P 0.001),serum anti-H.pylori IgG titer(P 0.001),and serum concentrations of PG I(P = 0.028) and PG Ⅱ(P = 0.028) were observed.CONCLUSION: The anti-H.pylori IgG assay can be used to estimate the burden of bacteria in immunocompetent hosts with H.pylori infection,regardless of the HBsA b titer after HBV vaccination.