A prospective observational study of the relationship between Helicobacter pylori and symptomatic gallstone disease

In this prospective observational study, we aimed to evaluate the incidence of Helicobacter pylori infection in gallstone disease and to assess its association with different types of gallstones and histopathological findings. It was conducted on 200 patients undergoing cholecystectomy. H. pylori detection was performed using the rapid urease test and histopathological examination. Cholesterol stones constituted 70% of cases, while pigment stones accounted for 30%. The overall incidence of H. pylori infection was 38.5%. A significantly higher prevalence of H. pylori was observed in cholesterol stones (45%) compared to pigment (23.3%). Chronic cholecystitis was present in 88.5%, and incidental carcinoma in situ was found in 2%, all associated with H. pylori positivity. Significant associations were observed between H. pylori status and stone type ( p  < .05). Our study establishes a significant association between H. pylori infection and gallstone disease, particularly cholesterol stones, and a potential link with premalignant gallbladder conditions.