Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

    Helicobacter pylori is often found under the mucosa (over the gastric mucosa) and between mucosal layer and apical surface of mucosal epithelium. It produces urease enzyme which produces ammonium and carbon dioxide to cause reduction in pH of stomach, which has some effects on bacterial colonization and chemotaxis of neutrophils, monocytes and platelet activator factors and it starts an inflammatory reaction. Secreted proteases and phospholipases of this bacillus cause endodermal ulcer without any evident reason. On the basis of hypothesis, there is a probable association between helicobacter pylori and epithelial lesions of gastrointestinal tract such as appendicitis and anal fissure which both have an inflammatory process. The present cross-sectional study, which aimed to assess this association, was conducted on 98 patients with anal fissure admitted to surgery ward of Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital during 2003. Patients’ mean age was 38.14(SD=13.92) years. A blood sample was taken from patients before surgery for serology test and a biopsy sample from anal fissure for histopathologic assessment during surgery. Data were analyzed by SPSS 11.5 software. Results of serologic tests for anti helicobacter pylori antibody were negative in 42.9% while it was positive in 57.1%. All the biopsies were negative for the presence of helicobacter pylori. There was a significant difference(P=0.012) between recurrence rates in seropositive cases with (0.5 times SD=0.5) and seronegative cases(0.33 times with SD=0.75). In this study, helicobacter pylori was not detected in any of specimens therefore, it is thought that helicobacter pylori does not have any direct role in the pathogenesis of anal fissure.