Letter to the Editor
Helicobacter pylori and Beta-2 Microglobulin
Abstract
To the Editor:
I read the recent report on Helicobacter pylori (HP) and beta-2 microglobulin with great interest.1 In that article, Dincer et al concluded that “the serum beta-2 microglobulin level cannot be used as a simple marker of HP intensity and severity of inflammation in gastric endoscopic biopsies.” Of interest, a recent publication by Akay et al showed that serum beta-2 accumulated in the majority of gastric tissues of patients with HP-positive gastritis.2 The main question I pose is, what is the exact explanation for this discordance? An important thing to be considered is the non-specific nature of the beta-2 microglobulin parameter in laboratory medicine.3 It can increase in many different conditions. Hence, it is questionable whether there is any occulted disorder that can cause increased serum beta-2 microglobulin in the study by Dincer et al.1
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