Table 2.
Demographic, biochemical, and clinical characteristics of the studied groups after a 1-year follow-up.
| Variables | H. pylori-positive n = 270 | H. pylori-negative n = 288 | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Follow-up at 1 year |
Follow-up at 1 year |
||
| Age (years) | 54.7 ± 8.8 | 55.4 ± 7.6 | P1 = 0.187 P2 = 0.115 P3 = 0.31 |
| Sex (M/F) | 195/75 | 209/79 | P3 = 0.973 |
| BMI | 25.7 ± 1.6 | 25.6 ± 1.4 | P1 = 0.509 P2 = 0.425 P3 = 0.432 |
| Hemoglobin (g/dl) | 9.65 ± 0.6 | 9.68 ± 0.7 | P1 = 0.373 P2 = 0.766 P3 = 0.588 |
| WBCs (× 103/cm2) | 3.32 ± 1.08 | 2.97 ± 0.78 | P1 = 0.001 P2 = 0.035 P3 < 0.001 |
| Platelet count (× 10 3/cm2) | 89.8 ± 16 | 85 ± 13.8 | P1 < 0.001 P2 < 0.001 P3 < 0.001 |
| ALT (IU/L) | 44.9 ± 12.1 | 39.7 ± 8.5 | P1 = 0.117 P2 < 0.001 P3 < 0.001 |
| AST (IU/L) | 42.4 ± 10.1 | 40 ± 8.8 | P1 < 0.001 P2 < 0.001 P3 = 0.003 |
| Serum albumin (g/dl) | 2.72 ± 0.5 | 2.62 ± 0.6 | P1 = 0.037 P2 < 0.001 P3 = 0.034 |
| Total Bilirubin (mg/dl) | 1.7 ± 0.5 | 1.6 ± 0.6 | P1 = 0.057 P2 = 0.046 P3 = 0.034 |
| Prothrombin time (sec.) | 1.59 ± 0.24 | 1.34 ± 0.29 | P1 = 0.075 P2 < 0.001 P3 < 0.001 |
| Serum creatinine (mg/dl) | 1.12 ± 0.12 | 1.02 ± 0.19 | P1 = 0.497 P2 < 0.001 P3 < 0.001 |
| eGFR (ml/min/1.73m2) | 89.2 ± 13.1 | 82.4 ± 11.6 | P1 = 0.028 P2 < 0.001 P3 < 0.001 |
| Serum ammonia (μmol/l) | 130.9 ± 13.04 | 99.3 ± 8.4 | P1 < 0.001 P2 < 0.001 P3 < 0.001 |
| CRP (ng/ml) | 2.82 ± 0.22 | 2.23 ± 0.19 | P1 < 0.001 P2 < 0.001 P3 < 0.001 |
| TNF-α (pg/ml) | 11.26 ± 0.54 | 9.89 ± 0.66 | P1 < 0.001 P2 = 0.6 P3 < 0.001 |
| IL-6 (pg/ml) | 53.4 ± 4 | 43 ± 2.3 | P1 < 0.001 P2 = 0.439 P3 < 0.001 |
| NO (μmol/L) | 127.9 ± 5.66 | 103 ± 6.22 | P1 < 0.001 P2 < 0.001 P3 < 0.001 |
| VEGF (ng/ml) | 0.67 ± 0.09 | 0.46 ± 0.05 | P1 < 0.001 P2 < 0.001 P3 < 0.001 |
| AFP (ng/ml) | 75.4 ± 30.52 | 68 ± 28.32 | P1 < 0.001 P2 < 0.001 P3 < 0.001 |
| Child–Pugh score | 10.25 ± 2.75 | 9 ± 2.5 | P1 = 0.021 P2 = 0.196 P3 < 0.001 |
| MELD score | 21.62 ± 4.87 | 16.9 ± 2.6 | P1 = 0.129 P2 = 0.97 P3 < 0.001 |
| Endoscopic findings: | |||
| Patients develop new EV | 29/186 (15.6) | 16/196 (8.1) | P3 = 0.023 |
| Patients develop new GV | 18/242 (7.4) | 7/253 (2.8) | P3 = 0.02 |
| Patients develop new PHG | 15/212 (7.1) | 6/236 (2.5) | P3 = 0.022 |
| Patients develop new GAVE | 11/251 (4.4) | 4/271 (1.5) | P3 = 0.049 |
| Ascitic fluid analysis | |||
| Positive culture (n) | 14 (6.1) | 4 (1.9) | P3 = 0.027 |
| PMN (/mm3) | 280 ± 85 | 245 ± 55 | P1 < 0.001 P2 < 0.001 P3 < 0.001 |
| Protein (mg/dl) | 368.5 ± 155 | 403 ± 164 | P1 = 0.064 P2 = 0.549 P3 = 0.017 |
| Prophylactic use of β-blocker | 61 (23) | 69 (24) | P1 = 0.575 P2 = 0.569 P3 = 0.781 |
| Prophylactic use of norfloxacin | 8 (3) | 7 (2) | P3 = 0.449 |
| Patients develop HCC | 16 (5.9) | 7 (2.4) | P3 = 0.037 |
| Patients develop SBP | 33/230 (14) | 14/209 (6.7) | P3 = 0.006 |
| Patients develop SBP recurrence | 15/33 (45.5) | 2/14 (14.3) | P3 = 0.044 |
| Patients develop HE | 75 (27.8) | 42 (14.6) | P3 < 0.001 |
| Patients develop PVT | 31 (11.5) | 15 (5) | P3 = 0.005 |
| Patients develop HRS | 30 (11) | 8 (3) | P3 < 0.001 |
Data were expressed as mean ± SD or n (%).
P1: H. pylori-positive at baseline vs. at 1 year follow-up.
P2: H. pylori-negative at baseline vs. at 1 year follow-up.
P3: H. pylori-positive vs. H. pylori-negative at 1 year follow-up.
BMI, Basal metabolic index; WBCs, white blood cell count; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; CRP, C-reactive protein; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-α; IL-6, interleukin-6; NO, Nitric oxide; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; AFP, α-fetoprotein; EV, esophageal varices; GV, gastric varices; PHG, portal hypertensive gastropathy; GAVE, Gastric antral vascular ectasia; MELD, Model for End-stage Liver Disease; PMN, polymorphonuclear; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; SBP, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis; HE, hepatic encephalopathy; PVT, portal vein thrombosis; HRS, hepatorenal syndrome.