The effect of ursodeoxycholic acid treatment on epidermal growth factor in patients with bile reflux gastritis.

Background/aims: Study was performed to evaluate the effect of ursodeoxychlic acid treatment on epidermal growth factor, which is secreted in response to mucosal injury and is also a factor in the protection and healing of gastric mucosal injury in patients with bile reflux gastritis following cholecystectomy.

Methods: Thirty-one dyspeptic patients who had previously undergone cholecystectomy were included in the study. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed before and after a six week ursodeoxychlic acid treatment period and a biopsy was taken. Endoscopic biopsy materials were stained with epidermal growth factor (Zymed, supersensitive) immunohistochemical monoclonal kit.

Results: The results of endoscopic examination prior to treatment were as follows: 24 cases (77%) had reflux gastritis, five cases (16%) antral gastritis, two cases (6.5%) diffuse gastritis and all cases had enterogastric reflux. In all but one case, epidermal growth factor was found to be positive at varning degrees. After ursodeoxychlic acid treatment, complete healing was observed at endoscopy in nine cases (29%) and partial healing at varning degrees was observed in all others. The degree of positivity of epidermal growth factor reduced significantly (p<0.001).

Conclusions: A decrease in the degree of epidermal growth factor positivity was observed following ursodeoxychlic acid treatment. This can be explained by the decrease in epidermal growth factor release due to healing of mucosal injury following treatment. Further investigations are needed to clarify whether ursodeoxychlic acid has a direct effect on epidermal growth factor.