Gastroprotective therapy does not improve outcomes of patients with Helicobacter pylori-negative idiopathic bleeding ulcers.

Background & Aims: We performed a prospective cohort study to investigate the effects of gastroprotective agents (such as proton pump inhibitors or histamine-2 receptor antagonists) on long-term clinical outcomes of patients with Helicobacter pylori-negative idiopathic bleeding ulcers.

Methods: Patients with H pylori-negative idiopathic bleeding ulcers were recruited from a single center from April 2002 to March 2009 (n = 663). Age- and sex-matched patients with H pylori-positive bleeding ulcers were used as controls (n = 633).