Hp and pH--the relevance of gastric acid to the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Helicobacter pylori infection causes inflammation of the gastric and duodenal mucosa, which results in a disturbance of the regulation of gastrin, gastric acid, and pepsin secretion. Acid secretion may be diminished, normal, or increased, depending on the stage of H. pylori infection, although the meal-stimulated gastrin response is invariably elevated. The exact mechanisms involved are not known, but probably involve the release of cytokines …