Background & objectives : Helicobacter pylori is considered as an important factor in chronic gastritis , peptic and duodenal ulcer, also probably in adenocarcinoma of distal stomach. H. Pylori infection can be led to chronic ulcers and ultimately to atrophy and stomach metaplasia. H. pylori shows an increasing resistance to the current antibiotics. For this reason the present research in which the anti bacterial effects of four food additive plants against ten strains of H. Pylori were investigated.

  Methods : The plants turmeric, ginger, clove and cardamom were selected to act against ten strains of H. Pylori. The effect of ether, ethanol and water extracts on H. Pylori specimens isolated from the patients was studied, using the agar diffusion method .

 Results: Considered water extracts for their antibacterial effects, turmeric had the most anti H. Pylori efficacy (mean of inhibitory growth zone diameter 21.5 mm). Ginger, clove and cardamom were respectively placed thereafter. Among ethanol extracts, ginger with diameter mean of 19.7 mm showed the most efficient effect as compare with turmeric and clove. Ether extracts of the mentioned plants had anti H. Pylori effects (Mean of inhibitory growth zone diameter were 19, 13, 11.1 and 10.5 mm respectively

 Conclusions: Water, ethanol and ether extracts of turmeric had higher anti H. Pylori activity. Recognition of the effective fraction 0f this plant as an efficient anti H. Pylori is further step to be investigated.

 Background & Objectives:�Barrett’s esophagus is the most severe complication of gastroesophageal reflux which may lead to Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. The epidemiologic aspects of this condition is not completed studied in Iran. The aim of this study is to appraise short segment Barrett’s esophagus in patients which are evaluated due to their reflux related symptoms in a university endoscopy center.

 Methods:�During this cross-sectional study, short segment Barrett’s esophagus was investigated in 100 consequent patients with reflux symptoms (heart burn and/or acid regurgitation) for at least one year. After obtaining their consent for upper endoscope, they were studied interms of short barrett esophagus Four biopsies from esophageal side of gastroesophageal junction for histologic evaluation, and one from antrum for rapid urease test used for Helicobacter pylori were obtained. Barrett’s esophagus was confirmed by appearance of intestinal metaplasia by two pathologists.

  Results: Among 100 eligible subjects, 39 patients were male and 61 were female with a mean (±SD) age of 42.31±15.12 years. Prevalence of short segment Barrett’s esophagus in this study was 8%. Barrett’s esophagus was not related to gender, symptoms and their severity but was significantly more frequent in patients experienced their symptoms for more than 5 years. Barrett’s esophagus was not related to the presence of esophagitis. Infection with Helicobacter pylori was related to less esophagitis but was not related to presence of Barrett’s esophagus.

 Conclusion:�According to the high prevalence of Barrett’s esophagus in subjects with reflux related symptoms in our region, upper gastroesophageal endoscopic evaluation of patients with symptoms more than 5 years is recommended even before age 40. Patients may benefit from Concentration the attention of the endoscopist for taking biopsies.

  Background & Objectives: Coronary artery disease is the main cause of mortality in developing and industrial countries. Recently the involvement of infectious agents as a risk factor for Acute Coronary syndrome is drafted. So this study was designed to investigate the probable association between Acute Coronary syndrome and Helicobacter pylori infection.

  Methods: This case-control study was carried out on 300 hospitalized patients with the diagnosis of Acute Coronary syndrome (UA and MI) and 300 hospitalized patients without the history of coronary heart disease. Anti Helicobacter pylori Antibody level was determined by as an indicator of infection history. Using chi-square and t- test the results were analyzed in SPSS software.

  Results: Results showed that 79 patients (26.3%) in control group and 122 patients (40.6%) in case group were seropositive and the difference was significant. Relationship between cronory diseases risk factors and levels of IgG was not significant. Also the results showed that the rate of hypertension in seropositive patients in case group was significantly upper than control group.

  Conclusion: Regarding the findings of this study we can conclude that Helicobacter pylori infection probably is a risk factor for Acute Coronary Syndrome. Thus, further studies are needed to elucidate the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and Acute Coronary Syndrome.

 Background & Objectives: Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs), a member of photolytic enzyme family, degrade the extra cellular matrix. MMPs have very important roles in physiological and pathological processes. It has been reported that MMPs concentration increase in malignancies such as stomach, breast, colon, lung, head and neck cancers . Infection�with Helicobacter pylori is risk factor for gastric cancer and may increase the serum level of MMP-9. The aim of this study was to measure the concentration of MMP-9 in sera of patients infected with H. pylori.

 Methods: In a descriptive-experimental study, apparent healthy individuals who were refereed for stool and blood tests were randomly selected and their stools and sera samples were collected. A questionnaire containing age, sex, smoking and special diseases in family and type of their diseases was filled for every volunteer. The sera collected immediately after blood sampling and stored in -70^oC until used. The concentration of MMP-9 was assessed using ELISA. Stool samples were used for detection of H. pylori antigen.

 Results: H. pylori positive, negative and equivocal volunteers were 52.38%, 29.76% and 17.85%, respectively. Differences between MMP-9 concentration and H. pylori negative and positive groups were not significant (p=0.25). A significant increase in MMP-9 concentration was found in sera from drivers in compare with housewives.

 Conclusion: Although there was an increase in serum concentration of MMP-9 in H. pylori infected person, differences between H. pylori negative and positive groups were not significant. The raised concentration of MMP-9 in drivers may arise from difference in their health condition in compare with the housewives. This study suggests that MMP-9 level in serum may increase before initiation of gastric cancer in H. pylori infected individuals.

  Background & Objectives: The diagnosis�of Helicobacter pylori infection is based on invasive and non-invasive methods. The present study was carried out to evaluate the accuracy of three non-invasive and one invasive methods either separately or in combination for detection of Helicobacter pylori.

  Methods: A total of 108 dyspeptic patients older than 12 years who had not previously been treated for H. pylori infection were selected for upper GI-endoscopy. Histology was considered as a gold standard diagnostic test. Urea breath test, histologic examination and rapid urease test were done in endoscopy unit. Serology and stool anigen detection test were done in hematology unit of Nour Laboratory using ELISA Method.

  Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated. The tests results were compared using the McNemar test.

  Results: According to histologic method, 56 patients had H. pylori infection. Sensitivities and specificities were 89% and 71% for the rapid urease test, 94% and 52% for serology, 90% and 82% for the urea breath test, and 46% and 80% for the stool test respectively. The most accurate combination test was rapid urease test and urea breath test.

  Conclusion: Rapid urease test and urea breath test in combination showed excellent diagnostic reliability.

  Background & Objectives: Endothelium nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is a type of enzyme which produces an endogenous factor called nitric oxide (NO). NO plays important role in progress of euplastic diseases. In chronic gastritis, the increased level of NO causes damages to DNA. The aim of present study is to evaluate eNOS concentration in sera of healthy people and those infected by Helicobacter pylori .

  Methods: The sera and stool specimens from 84 voluntaries (Female: 58.3%, Males 41.6%) were collected. Helicobacter pylori antigen in the stool specimens and eNOS levels in sera were determined using ELISA . Obtained data were analyzed using Excell software.

  Results : The age range was from 1 to 78 years old (Mean: 30 years old). In terms of special diseases, 70.2% did not have any special diseases, but 29.76% showed at least one special disease, mainly thyroid disease and hypertension. The results for H. pylori stool antigen detection showed that 16.6%, 29.76% and 53.57% of collected specimens were equivocal, Helicobacter pylori negative and positive respectively. Comparison of sera concentrations of eNOS showed that there is no significant change among these three groups.

  Conclusion : As mentioned in results, the eNOS sera concentrations showed no significant change in Helicobacter pylori positive and negative groups. Albeit the other studies showed the significant increase in serum concentration of Helicobacter pylori positive patient, this controversy may arise from race and variations in Helicobacter pylori pathogenic islands such as those containing VacA and CagA. We propose to conduct a similar study in Ardabil to focus on the pathogenic islands of H. pylori strains in this province.