COVID-19 et maladies auto-immunes dans un centre de traitement des épidémies à Dakar / COVID 19 and autoimmune diseases in an outbreak treatment center in Dakar

Introduction : Les patients présentant une affection systémique ont un risque accru d'infections. Leur prise en charge au cours de la pandémie au COVID19 constitue un défi qui doit prendre en considération plusieurs aspects. Nous rapportons les caractéristiques épidémiologiques, cliniques, et évolutives des patients COVID positifs suivis pour une maladie auto-immune (MAI). Patients et méthode : étude rétrospective, descriptive et analytique menée au centre de traitement des épidémies du centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU) Le Dantec de Dakar durant les périodes du 30 Avril au 30 Octobre 2020 puis du 30 Décembre 2020 au 30 Avril 2021. Etaient inclus tous les dossiers des patients suivis pour une maladie systémique hospitalisés pour COVID-19 confirmée à la RT-PCR. Résultats : treize patients étaient inclus dans l'étude, composés de 8 femmes et de 5 hommes. L'âge moyen était de 59 ans [16 à 74 ans]. Il s'agissait de 8 cas de maladies auto-immunes systémiques (MAIS) : polyarthrite rhumatoïde (n=3 ; 37,5%), Sjögren primitif (n=2 ; 25%), lupus systémique, dermatomyosite, arthrite à cellules géantes chacun 1 cas (12,5%) et 5 cas de maladies auto-immunes spécifiques d'organes (MASO) : maladie de Basedow (n=1 ; 20% de MASO), thyroïdite de Hashimoto (n=1 ; 20%), myasthénie (n=1 ; 20%), diabète de type 1 (n=1 ; 20%) et maladie de Biermer (n=1 ; 20%). Les formes cliniques étaient modérées (6 cas ; 46,1%), sévères (2cas ; 15,4%) et critiques (2cas ; 15,4%). Huit patients (8/13) avaient au moins une comorbidité associée. Deux décès (2/13) étaient notés. Conclusion : il n'a pas été trouvé une augmentation des complications sévères dues au COVID-19 chez les patients suivis pour une maladie auto-immune. Leur pronostic n'est pas différent de celui de la population générale.

Helicobacter pylori testing in a population of Korean patients with pernicious anemia

No abstract available.

Paciente con anemia perniciosa y cambios comportamentales / A patient with behavioral alterations due to pernicious anemia

La anemia perniciosa es una patología hematológica caracterizada por anemia con volumen corpuscular medio alto, secundaria a la incapacidad del organismo para absorber la vitamina B12 por deficiencia de factor intrínseco. Se puede deber a la destrucción de las células parietales o la presencia de anticuerpos contra este factor, disminuyendo los valores séricos de cianocobalamina y alterando la síntesis de ADN y ARN. Dado que compromete las 3 líneas celulares, pueden tener variedad de síntomas clínicos. Las principales manifestaciones se dan en los sistemas nervioso central, periférico y gastrointestinal. El diagnóstico se basa en el hallazgo de cifras bajas cianocobalamina, anormalidades de la mucosa gástrica por atrofia, la cual debe confirmarse con biopsia. Se describe el caso de una paciente de 68 años de edad con cambios de comportamiento en sus funciones cognitivas, hemograma con evidencia de pancitopenia con anemia, volumen corpuscular medio elevado, así como niveles bajos de vitamina B12 y una endoscopia que mostraba gastritis eritematosa crónica atrófica. Se inicia suplencia con vitamina B12 con posterior recuperación completa de sus funciones cognitivas y cambios comportamentales.

Pernicious anemia is a hematologic condition characterized by anemia with an increased mean corpuscular volume, secondary to impaired vitamin B12 absorption due to lack of intrinsic factor. It may be associated with the destruction of parietal gastric cells or the presence of anti-intrinsic factor antibodies which generates decreased serum levels of cyanocobalamin and impair DNA and RNA synthesis. Given it involves the three cell lines it may have a varied symptomatology. Main manifestations are seen in the central and peripheral nervous system and gastrointestinal system. Diagnosis is based on finding low cyanocobalamin serum levels, associated with gastric mucosa anomalies due to atrophic gastritis, which must be confirmed by a biopsy. A case is described in a 68 year old female patient with behavioral alterations and cognitive impairment. Hemogram showed pancytopenia and anemia, increased mean corpuscular volume, as well as decreased serum vitamin B12 level and an endoscopy evidenced chronic erythematous atrophic gastritis. She received vitamin B12 therapy with full cognitive recovery and reversal of behavioral alterations.

False elevations of vitamin B12 levels due to assay errors in a patient with pernicious anemia

No abstract available.

Autoimmune Diseases and Gastric Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Autoimmunity is an alternative etiology of gastric inflammation, the initiating event in the gastric carcinogenic cascade. This mechanism may be an increasingly important cause of gastric cancer with the waning prevalence of its primary etiologic factor, chronic Helicobacter pylori infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed and EMBASE were searched up to September 2018. Autoimmunity and 96 specific manifestations were considered for associations with gastric cancer risk. Random effects analysis was used to calculate pooled relative risk estimates (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: We found a total of 52 observational studies representing 30 different autoimmune diseases. Overall, the presence of an autoimmune condition was associated with a gastric cancer pooled RR of 1.37 (95% CI, 1.24 to 1.52). Among the 24 autoimmune conditions with two or more independent reports, nine were significantly associated with increased gastric cancer risk: dermatomyositis (RR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.74 to 7.79), pernicious anemia (RR, 2.84; 95% CI, 2.30 to 3.50), Addison disease (RR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.26 to 3.53), dermatitis herpetiformis (RR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.02 to 2.97; n=3), IgG4-related disease (RR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.00 to 2.87), primary biliary cirrhosis (RR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.13 to 2.37), diabetes mellitus type 1 (RR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.20 to 1.67), systemic lupus erythematosus (RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.84), and Graves disease (RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.52). CONCLUSION: Our analysis documents the wide range of autoimmune diseases associated with gastric cancer. These associations may reflect unreported links between these conditions and autoimmune gastritis. Further studies are warranted to investigate potential causal mechanisms.

Gastritis autoinmune: diagnóstico y manejo de una entidad subdiagnosticada / Autoimmune gastritis: diagnosis and management of an underdiagnosed disease

Autoimmune gastritis (AIG) or chronic atrophic gastritis type A, is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the body and fundus mucosa of the stomach. It is an underdiagnosed entity, whose clinical presentation has a broad spectrum, which may include asymptomatic patients; hematological manifestations such as iron deficiency anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency anemia (so called pernicious); non-specific digestive symptoms like dyspepsia; neurological and psychiatric manifestations. AIG is associated with other autoimmune diseases, mainly hypothyroidism ("Tyrogastric Syndrome") and type 1 diabetes. It is characterized by the development of anti-parietal cell and anti-intrinsic factor antibodies, decrease in pepsinogen I (PGI) level with low PGI/PGII ratio (< 3), and high level of gastrin. Endoscopic findings are not sufficient for the diagnosis of gastric atrophy. The use of the Sydney pathological report protocol and the OLGA/OLGIM system to evaluate the severity of gastritis have improved their diagnosis and the possibility to establish the risk of developing gastric neoplasms. The importance of its diagnosis and surveillance is based on the development of type 1 neuroendocrine gastric neoplasms, in addition to an increased risk of the incidence of gastric adenocarcinoma. Currently, an individualized endoscopic surveillance seems reasonable, with a minimum interval of 3 years.

La gastritis autoinmune (GAI) o gastritis crónica atrófica tipo A, es una enfermedad inflamatoria crónica que afecta la mucosa del cuerpo y fondo del estómago. La GAI es una entidad subdiagnosticada, cuya presentación clínica es de amplio espectro, puede incluir pacientes asintomáticos; manifestaciones hematológicas, tales como anemia ferropriva, anemia por déficit de vitamina B12 (anemia perniciosa); digestivas inespecíficas tipo dispepsia; neurológicas y psiquiátricas. La GAI está asociada a otras enfermedades autoinmunes, principalmente hipotiroidismo ("síndrome tirogástrico") y diabetes tipo 1. Se caracteriza por el desarrollo de anticuerpos anti células parietales y anti factor intrínseco, bajo nivel de pepsinógeno I (PGI) con una baja relación PGI/PGII (< 3), e hipergastrinemia. Los hallazgos endoscópicos no son suficientes para el diagnóstico de atrofia gástrica. El uso de protocolo de Sydney de reporte patológico y sistema OLGA/OLGIM para evaluar la severidad de gastritis han mejorado su diagnóstico y objetivado su riesgo de desarrollar neoplasias gástricas. La importancia de su diagnóstico y seguimiento está basada en el desarrollo de neoplasias gástricas neuroendocrinas tipo 1, además de un riesgo incrementado de la incidencia de adenocarcinoma gástrico, entre otros. Actualmente, parece razonable un seguimiento endoscópico individualizado, siendo un intervalo mínimo de 3 años.

Comportamiento del síndrome poliglandular autoinmune tipo III en una cohorte de ocho casos / Behavior of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type III in a cohort of eight cases

Introducción: el síndrome poliglandular autoinmune es una afección que se caracteriza por la presencia de varias afecciones entre las que destaca la presencia de diabetes insulinodependiente, enfermedad tiroidea y enfermedad autoinmune no tiroidea fundamentalmente. Pueden presentarse otras afecciones específicas como es el caso del vitiligo, la psoriasis, alopecia y anemia perniciosa entre otras. Objetivo: conocer el comportamiento clínico y epidemiológico del síndrome poliglandular autoinmune tipo III en pacientes con enfermedades reumáticas. Método: estudio de tipo descriptivo y retrospectivo, de una serie de 8 casos con presencia de enfermedades que permiten el diagnóstico de síndrome autoinmune tipo III. Se procedió a realizar una revisión exhaustiva de las historias clínicas que posibilitó la recogida de la información mediante un cuestionario creado específicamente para la investigación. La información recogida permitió describir las variables sociodemográficas, clínicas y de laboratorio planteadas para la investigación. Resultados: el promedio de edad fue de 47.34 ± 5 años. El 87.5 por ciento correspondió al sexo femenino y el 75 por ciento de los casos refirió algún hábito nocivo, de los cuales el de mayor representatividad (83,3 por ciento) fue el sedentarismo. El hipotiroidismo (87,5 por ciento) y el síndrome de Sjögren (37,5 por ciento) fueron las enfermedades que con mayor frecuencia se presentaron. Conclusiones: el síndrome poliglandular autoinmune es una afección múltiple que incluye diversas afecciones generando polifarmacia que pude incidir negativamente en la adherencia terapéutica de estos pacientes. La presencia de hábitos nocivos puede ser considerada como un posible agente desencadenante de muchas de las afecciones que componen el síndrome. Existe una tendencia a minimizar la importancia de las afecciones dermatológicas lo que genera un subregistro de las mismas(AU)

Introduction: autoimmune polyglandular syndrome is a condition that is characterized by the presence of several conditions among which the presence of insulin-dependent diabetes, thyroid disease and non-thyroid autoimmune disease is fundamental. There may be other specific conditions such as vitiligo, psoriasis, alopecia and pernicious anemia among others. Objective: to know the clinical and epidemiological behavior of type III autoimmune polyglandular syndrome in patients with rheumatic diseases. Methodo: estudio de tipo descriptivo y retrospectivo, de una serie de 8 casos con presencia de enfermedades que permiten el diagnóstico de síndrome autoinmune tipo III. Se procedió a realizar una revisión exhaustiva de las historias clínicas que posibilitó la recogida de la información mediante un cuestionario creado específicamente para la investigación. La información recogida permitió describir las variables sociodemográficas, clínicas y de laboratorio planteadas para la investigación. Results: the average age was 47.34 ± 5 years. 87.5 percent corresponded to the female sex and 75 percent of the cases reported some harmful habit, of which the one with the highest representation (83.3 percent) was a sedentary lifestyle. Hypothyroidism (87.5 percent) and Sjögren's syndrome (37.5 percent) were the diseases that most frequently occurred. Conclusions: autoimmune polyglandular syndrome is a multiple condition that includes various conditions generating polypharmacy that could negatively affect the therapeutic adherence of these patients. The presence of harmful habits can be considered as a possible triggering agent of many of the conditions that make up the syndrome. There is a tendency to minimize the importance of dermatological conditions, which causes underreporting(AU)

Vitiligo in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Report / 대한피부과학회지

Vitiligo is a multifactorial disorder. Neural, biochemical, and autoimmune mechanisms have been hypothetically suggested as etiopathological contributors to this condition. Autoimmunity focuses primarily on genetic factors and the association between vitiligo and other autoimmune disorders including autoimmune thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, pernicious anemia, and Addison's disease. We describe a 35-year-old man with systemic lupus erythematosus who developed concurrent vitiligo and discoid lupus erythematosus suggesting the possible autoimmune association between these 2 different diseases.

Pancitopenia em pacientes com anemia perniciosa. Estudo descritivo de 33 casos. / Pancytopenia in patients with pernicious anemia. Descriptive study of 33 cases.

Objetivo: Discriminar as variáveis de sexo e idade nos pacientes com anemia perniciosa; estudar seu perfil hematimétrico; verificar a prevalência de outras doenças autoimunes e anemia perniciosa; analisar a incidência da pancitopenia e sua relação com alterações laboratoriais comum na doença; e avaliar a frequência dos autoanticorpos anticélulas parietais e antifator intrínseco. Métodos: Estudo transversal descritivo, de base clínica e laboratorial, de 33 prontuários de pacientes com anemia perniciosa, diagnosticados em um ambulatório de hospital terciário de atenção à saúde, no período de junho de 2009 a junho de 2014. Para analisar a relação da presença e da ausência de pancitopenia com os níveis da enzima lactato desidrogenase e vitamina B12, foi utilizado o teste qui quadrado. O programa utilizado foi o software Epi Info, versão 7. Resultados: Na amostra, 63,6% eram mulheres, e a idade média geral foi de 47,3 anos. Doenças autoimunes estavam associadas em 30,3% dos pacientes. A pancitopenia esteve presente em 39,4% dos pacientes. Houve significância estatística na relação da pancitopenia com os níveis de enzima lactato desidrogenase (p<0,05). A prevalência do antifator intrínseco foi de 69,7% e dos autoanticorpos anticélulas parietais foi de 72,7%. Conclusão: A pancitopenia mostrou-se um achado significante na população com anemia perniciosa, assim como níveis elevado de LDH, acrescentando a anemia perniciosa como um diagnóstico diferencial de tais alterações laboratoriais.(AU)

Objective: To discriminate the gender and age variables in patients with pernicious anemia; to study erythrocyte profile; to check the prevalence of other autoimmune diseases and pernicious anemia; to analyze the incidence of pancytopenia and its relationship with common laboratory abnormalities in the disease; to evaluate the frequency of anti-gastric parietal cell antibodies, and anti-intrinsic factor antibodies. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study of clinical and laboratorybased medical records of 33 patients with pernicious anemia diagnosed in an outpatient's department of a tertiary healthcare center, in the period between June 2009 and June 2014. To analyze the relationship between the presence and absence of pancytopenia with levels of lactate dehydrogenase enzyme and levels of Vitamin B12 we used the chi-squared test. The software used was Epininfo version 7. Results: The sample showed 63.6% women and 36.4% men with a mean age of 47.3 years. Autoimmune diseases were associated in 30.3% of the patients. Pancytopenia was present in 39.4% of patients. There was statistically significant relationship of pancytopenia with lactate dehydrogenase enzyme levels (p <0.05). The frequency of anti-intrinsic factor antibodies was 69.7%, and the antigastric parietal cell antibodies was 72.7%. Conclusion: Pancytopenia proved to be a significant finding among the population with pernicious anemia and high levels of LDH, which includes pernicious anemia as a differential diagnosis of such laboratory alterations.(AU)

Spontaneous Remission of Pernicious Anemia / 대한내과학회지

Pernicious anemia is a macrocytic anemia that is caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, itself a result of the absence of intrinsic factors due to autoimmune destruction of parietal cells. We report here the case of a 43-year-old female with spontaneous remission of pernicious anemia. The patient presented with fatigue. Her serum vitamin B12 level was low, hemoglobin level was 7.6 g/dL, and serologic tests for anti-intrinsic factor and anti-parietal cell antibodies were positive. We diagnosed her with pernicious anemia, but did not administer vitamin B12 because her hemoglobin level increased spontaneously. Since then, the patient's hemoglobin and serum vitamin B12 levels have been within the normal range.

Central Nervous System Complication due to Pernicious Anemia in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Pernicious anemia (PA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by atrophic gastritis and deficiency in intrinsic factor leading to impairment of vitamin B12 absorption in the ileum. Anemia is commonly found in rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, PA is rarely found in RA. There are few reports describing patients with both conditions; none in Korea to date. We report on a case of a 46-year-old female who presented with hypesthesia and general weakness. She was previously diagnosed as seropositive RA with myelodysplastic syndrome. She had severely impaired sensation, especially for vibration and proprioception in all limbs. Subacute combined degeneration was observed on her magnetic resonance imaging and serum vitamin B12 level was very low. Further exam results were consistent with PA and her symptoms improved with cobalamin injection. This case demonstrates that PA should be considered in RA patients presenting with both central nervous system manifestations and anemia.

Frequency of intrinsic factor antibody in megaloblastic anaemia

To evaluate the presence of intrinsic factor antibody in vitamin B12 deficient patients. Cross-sectional, observational study. Fauji Foundation Hospital, Foundation University Medical College and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, from January 2011 to June 2012. A total of 120 patients of megaloblastic anaemia were selected on the basis of low serum vitamin B12 level. The intrinsic factor antibody tests were performed by ELISA method. The patients were considered positive or negative on the basis of presence or absence of intrinsic factor antibody respectively. The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 14. Pernicious anaemia with intrinsic factor deficiency was found in 13.3% in 120 vitamin B12 deficient patients. The mean age of patients of pernicious anaemia was 41.5 years, with a male to female ratio of 1:2.5. It was relatively more common in older age [17% in age more than 60 years] as compared to other age groups. Frequency of pernicious anaemia in megaloblastic anaemia was 13.3%. The male to female ratio was 1:2.5 and it was relatively more common in age group of more than 60 years

A Case of Thyrotoxicosis with the Presence of Anti-Gastric Parietal Cell Antibodies

The presence of anti-gastric parietal cell antibodies (AGPAs) has been strongly associated with the pathogenesis of pernicious anemia and atrophic gastritis and has been rarely reported in thyrotoxicosis. In addition, AGPAs more commonly occur in the Western population. No case of AGPA occurring in thyrotoxicosis has been reported in Korea to date. We report a case involving the occurrence of AGPAs in a thyrotoxicosis patient examined at the Hanyang University Hospital. Upon medical consultation, a 55-yr-old woman with no significant medical history was found to have elevated levels of cholesterol, AST, ALT, gamma glutamyl transferase, and mild anemia. Further blood tests revealed elevated levels of T3, free T4, and thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI), low level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and negative results for the anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin antibody (anti-TG), for which the patient was diagnosed with thyrotoxicosis. To rule out autoimmune hepatitis in the explanation of the continuously elevated levels of AST and ALT, the autoimmune target (AIT), anti-smooth muscle antibody (ASMA), anti-liver/kidney/microsomal antibody (LKM), anti-mitochondria antibody (AMA) and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) tests were done, and the results were all negative. However, during this process, the patient tested positive for AGPA, when stomach tissue was used as the sample. Finally, the patient was diagnosed with thyrotoxicosis without any other autoimmune disease. This is the first report of confirmed presence of AGPA in a thyrotoxicosis-only patient in Korea.

La anemia como manifestación de la infección por Helicobacter pylori / Anemia as a manifestation of helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori es el agente causal de infección más frecuente de la especie humana, con una marcada desventaja entre los países desarrollados y los países en vía de desarrollo, donde es mucho más frecuente. Si bien la infección por Helicobacter pylori cursa asintomática en la mayoría de los individuos infectados también es claro que está íntimamente relacionada con enfermedades malignas del estómago como el cáncer gástrico y el linfoma MALT; y enfermedades benignas como la gastritis crónica y la úlcera péptica duodenal y gástrica. A partir del momento en que se conoció que la mucosa gástrica podía ser colonizada por una bacteria, en la literatura médica mundial indexada (PubMed) se han informado alrededor de una centena de manifestaciones extragástricas que involucran a especialidadesmédicas tan disímiles como la cardiología, la dermatología, la endocrinología, la ginecoobstetricia, la hematología, la neumología, la neurología, la odontología, la oftalmología, la otorrinolaringología, la pediatría, la siquiatría y vascular periférico, algunas de ellas con mayor o menor acervo probatorio de la relación entre la infección por Helicobacter pylori y el desarrollo de la enfermedad. Esta revisión de la literatura médica mundial se centra en el análisis de la relación de la infección por Helicobacter pylori con las deficiencias de hierro y de vitamina B12, con o sin anemia. Se presentan para ambas formas de anemia, una visión general del problema, las evidencias de la asociación de cada una de ellas con la infección por Helicobacter pylori, la fisiopatología y el manejo en la era poshelicobacter.

Helicobacter pylori is the most common causative agent of human infection, with a marked disadvantage between developed and developing countries. Although Helicobacter pylori infection is asymptomatic in majority of individuals infected, it is also clear their close relation with malignant diseases of the stomach as gastric cancer and gastric MALT lymphoma; and benign diseases such as chronic gastritis and duodenal and gastric peptic ulcer. Since the moment that was known that the gastric mucosa can be colonized by bacteria, it has been informed about a hundred extragastric events in the indexed world medical literature (PubMed), that involves medical specialties as diverse as cardiology,dermatology, endocrinology, obstetrics and gynecology, hematology, pulmonology, neurology, dentistry, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and peripheral vascular. Some of these with varying proofs of relation between Helicobacter pylori infection and disease development. This review was focuses on the analysis of the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection with the iron and vitamin B12 deficiencies, with or without anemia. The information is presented for both forms of anemia, the problem overview, evidence of the association with Helicobacter pylori infection, the pathophysiology and management in poshelicobacter era.

Helicobacter pylori Infection and Hematologic Diseases

Helicobacter pylori infection is not only a major cause of various gastrointestinal diseases but is also a possible etiologic agent in many extragastric disorders. It has been well known that the infection is associated with the pathogenesis of several hematologic diseases including unexplained iron deficiency anemia, primary immune thrombocytopenia or gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. The present review aims to explain hematologic diseases with well established associations and their possible pathogenetic mechanisms, and introduce other disorders with controversial or intriguing associations such as pernicious anemia, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, myelodysplastic syndrome, childhood leukemia and coagulation disorders. Most guidelines for management of H. pylori infection recommend that H. pylori should be sought and eradicated in infected patients with hematologic diseases with well-established associations. Further studies are required to establish new strategies to improve the management of infected patients with other hematologic diseases with controversial or intriguing associations.

Helicobacter pylori Infection and Hematologic Diseases

Helicobacter pylori infection is not only a major cause of various gastrointestinal diseases but is also a possible etiologic agent in many extragastric disorders. It has been well known that the infection is associated with the pathogenesis of several hematologic diseases including unexplained iron deficiency anemia, primary immune thrombocytopenia or gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. The present review aims to explain hematologic diseases with well established associations and their possible pathogenetic mechanisms, and introduce other disorders with controversial or intriguing associations such as pernicious anemia, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, myelodysplastic syndrome, childhood leukemia and coagulation disorders. Most guidelines for management of H. pylori infection recommend that H. pylori should be sought and eradicated in infected patients with hematologic diseases with well-established associations. Further studies are required to establish new strategies to improve the management of infected patients with other hematologic diseases with controversial or intriguing associations.