Helicobacter pylori infection is probably the cause of chronic idiopathic neutropenia (CIN)‐associated splenomegaly

Splenic volume and Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) infection were evaluated in 67 patients with chronic idiopathic neutropenia (CIN) and 39 healthy individuals. Using ultrasound, splenomegaly was found in 61.7% of H. pylori‐ infected subjects compared to only 8.7% noted in the group of H. pylori ‐non‐infected individuals ( P < 0.0001). Splenomegaly was also found in 47.8% of CIN patients compared to 12.8% in the group of non‐CIN subjects ( P = 0.0003). However, applying the two‐way ANOVA test, a statistically significant effect on splenic volume was documented for “factor H. pylori  ” (F 1 102 = 16.800, P < 0.0001) but not for “factor CIN” (F 1 102 = 3.213, P = 0.0760), suggesting that CIN‐associated splenomegaly is probably due to H. pylori infection. Am. J. Hematol. 81:142–144, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.