Introduction
Helicobacter pylori infection increases the risk of gastric
cancer and should be treated in young patients.1However, some drugs used to treat H. pylori inhibit cytochrome
P450 3A4 and appear to induce porphyria, an illness that is often
diagnosed in young adults. Porphyria is a potentially life-threatening
condition that causes severe abdominal pain, nausea, constipation,
confusion, and seizures.2 Not all H. pyloritherapies are contraindicated,2 but the risk ofH. pylori therapy–induced porphyria attacks is not
well-understood. No statistical data have been reported regarding the
safe use of these drugs. Thus, caution should be used when administering
specific drugs because of their porphyria attack–inducing
effects.3