金山西部地区5~7岁儿童H.pylori感染调查及与胃蛋白酶原相关性分析

目的了解金山西部地区5~7岁健康儿童幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)感染情况,并探讨其与胃蛋白酶原(PG)的相关性。方法选取2019年3-5月金山地区5~7岁健康儿童共464例,分析不同年龄及性别幼儿H.pylori感染、胃蛋白酶原Ⅰ(PGⅠ)、胃蛋白酶原Ⅱ(PGⅡ)水平以及PGⅠ/PGⅡ比值的差异,采用Spearman相关性分析H.pylori感染与PGⅠ、PGⅡ水平和PGⅠ/PGⅡ的相关性。结果5~7岁儿童H.pylori阳性率达11.96%,5岁组、6岁组、7岁组儿童H.pylori阳性率分别为10.07%、12.96%、13.73%,阳性率逐年升高。不同年龄和性别幼儿的PGⅠ、PGⅡ水平和PGⅠ/PGⅡ间差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。H.pylori是否感染与PGⅠ/PGⅡ呈显著正相关,与PGⅠ/PGⅡ呈显著负相关(P<0.05)。结论本地区5~7岁儿童H.pylori感染率相对较低且有着自身的特点,而且H.pylori感染与血清PG水平的关系密切,未来应加强对幼儿H.pylori感染与血清PG 水平的监测及防治。     

幽门螺杆菌感染对儿童慢性特发性血小板减少性紫癜的相关性分析

目的:探讨幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)感染和儿童慢性特发性血小板减少性紫癜(ITP)的相关性分析。方法:在2009至2011年,对360例健康儿童和360例慢性ITP患儿进行H.pylori感染检验,比较其H.pylori感染阳性率。将80例H.pylori感染阳性的慢性ITP患儿随机分为对照组和实验组各40人。对照组采用激素治疗,实验组采用抗幽门螺杆菌和激素联合治疗。结果:健康儿童H.pylori感染阳性40例,阳性率11.11%,慢性ITP患儿感染81例,阳性率22.5%。ITP患儿H.pylori感染阳性率高于健康儿童,2组H.pylori感染阳性率相比差异显著(P<0.05)。实验组患儿治疗后1、2、3个月的的血小板计数明显高于对照组,血小板相关免疫球蛋白低于对照组,差异显著(P<0.05)。实验组治疗总有效率高于对照组,差异显著(P<0.05)。实验组6个月内和6个月后的复发率均低于对照组,总复发率也低于对照组,差异显著(P<0.05)。结论:在慢性特发性血小板减少性紫癜患儿中幽门螺杆菌感染率要显著高于正常儿童,对慢性ITP患儿进行抗H.pylori感染治疗可以有效提高血小板计数,降低血小板相关免疫球蛋白,减少复发率,值得在临床上推广。     

儿童幽门螺杆菌及CagA阳性感染的临床研究

目的探讨非侵入性检查方法对儿童幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)的诊断及治疗价值。方法对2004年10月至2005年12月在梅县人民医院门诊及住院154例慢性反复腹痛患儿进行粪便幽门螺杆菌抗原(HPSA)血清(H.pylori)抗体(HP-Ab)及产细胞毒素相关蛋白(CagA)、H.pylori检查测验,并对CagA阳性患者于短程三联抗H.pylori干预治疗。结果154例患儿中H.pylori阳性33.8%(52/154),CagA阳性61.5%(32/52)。H.pylori阳性及CagA阳性者以上腹疼痛,恶心呕吐多于H.pylori阴性患者,但它们之间差异无显著性,P>0.05;H.pylori阳性及CagA阳性与H.pylori阴性者病程上差异无显著性,P>0.05。对CagA阳性干预治疗后4周临床症状消失达90.6%(29/32),HPSA转阴率为87.5(28/32),结论H.pylori阳性及CagA阳性与否不能以临床表现作为判断标准,H.pylori及CagA的检测可作为对儿童特别是幼儿诊断H.pylori感染及治疗后复查,简便,患儿易接受,特别适用基层的一种非侵入性检测方法。     

胃癌前病变患者胃蛋白酶原、促胃液素-17水平变化及幽门螺杆菌感染情况

目的研究胃癌前病变患者胃蛋白酶原、促胃液素-17及幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)感染情况变化。方法试验组患者选取2017年8月至2018年8月间于我院进行治疗的100例胃癌前病变患者,对照组选取来我院体检中心进行体检的健康人员60例,对比两组人群胃蛋白酶原、促胃液素-17及H.pylori感染情况变化。结果试验组PGI(57.45±11.52)、PGII(8.65±1.75)、PGR(5.89±1.26)和促胃液素-17(8.05±1.45)水平显著低于对照组(均P<0.05);试验组H.pylori感染率81.00%显著高于对照组感染率41.67%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论胃癌前病变患者PGI、PGII、PGR和促胃液素-17水平较低,并且H.pylori感染率高,患病与H.pylori感染有一定关系,胃蛋白酶原、促胃液素-17和H.pylori感染率对胃癌前病变临床诊断有重要作用,能够作为胃癌前病变患者筛查参考指标。     

慢性腹痛患儿C~(13)-尿素呼气试验与胃镜检查的临床意义

目的了解慢性腹痛患儿幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)的感染状态及幽门螺杆菌感染患儿内镜下表现的特点。方法应用C13尿素呼气试验,对905例以慢性腹痛为主要症状的患儿进行检测,对C13呼气试验阳性者进行电子胃镜检查。结果905例慢性腹痛患儿中H.pylori呈阳性185例(20.44%),随年龄增长,其H.pylori阳性率升高,学年组已达高峰。对H.pylori阳性者进行胃镜检查结果显示十二指肠隆起病变47例占25.40%,结节性胃炎41例占22.1%,慢性浅表性`胃炎38例占20.5%,结节性胃炎伴十二指肠隆起病变23例占12.43%,十二指肠球部溃疡23例占12.4%。胃溃疡7例,占3.7%(其中包括1例复合性溃疡),结节性胃炎伴十二指肠炎6例,占3.2%。结论H.pylori感染为小儿慢性腹痛的主要原因之一,也是导致慢性胃炎及消化性溃疡的主要原因之一。C13尿素呼气试验方便,快速,无痛苦,无放射性,是一较好的H.pylori检测方法;对既有消化道症状同时C13呼气试验阳性者进行胃镜检查能够协助临床诊断及治疗。     

慢性乙型肝炎及乙肝肝硬化合并消化性溃疡患者与幽门螺杆菌感染的相关性研究

目的研究慢性乙型肝炎及乙肝肝硬化合并消化性溃疡患者与幽门螺杆菌(Helicobacter pylori,H.pylori)感染的相关关系。方法选择2012年1月至2014年12月宣汉县人民医院收治的慢性乙型肝炎合并消化性溃疡患者108例作为A组,选择同期收治的乙肝肝硬化合并消化性溃疡患者65例作为B组。以快速尿素酶方法检测H.pylori。应用免疫印迹法急性H.pylori抗体分型。结果 A组患者H.pylori阳性率为67.6%,B组患者H.pylori阳性率为24.6%。A组胃溃疡患者H.pylori阳性率为11.4%,十二指肠溃疡患者H.pylori阳性率为94.5%;B组胃溃疡患者H.pylori阳性率为11.5%,十二指肠溃疡患者H.pylori阳性率为33.3%。A组及B组患者中十二指肠溃疡H.pylori感染率均显著高于胃溃疡H.pylori感染率(P0.05)。两组胃溃疡患者的H.pylori阳性率比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05),十二指肠患者的H.pylori阳性率在A、B两组间差异有统计学意义(χ2=48.528,P0.01)。两组患者H.pylori抗体血清分型表达阳性率比较差异无统计学意义(χ2=0.464,P0.05)。结论 H.pylori感染可能是慢性乙肝、乙肝肝硬化消化性溃疡发生的始动因素,尤其在慢性乙肝合并十二指肠溃疡的发病中可能起重要作用,在乙肝肝硬化合并十二指肠溃疡疾病的发病中可能只是其中因素之一。     

幽门螺杆菌与胃黏膜相关淋巴瘤相关性研究

目的研究幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)与胃黏膜相关淋巴瘤相关性。方法通过胃镜和相关辅助检查,对24例胃黏膜相关淋巴瘤病人胃内幽门螺杆菌进行动态观察。结果24例胃黏膜相关淋巴瘤病人中,18例出现H.pylori感染(75%);治疗后H.pylori感染例数减少(6/24,25%);1年后H.pylori病人感染又增加(11/24,46%)。结论抗H.pylori及胃黏膜相关淋巴瘤常规治疗方法有效,但易反复,可考虑辅以微生态调节剂治疗。     

胃息肉患者胃液菌群结构分析

目的分析幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)在胃息肉患者中的感染情况,利用高通量测序技术分析胃息肉患者的胃液菌群组成,探究整体菌群变化与息肉发生的关系。方法收集7例胃息肉患者的胃液(GP组),7例胃体黏膜未见异常体检者胃液为对照组(C组),统计H.pylori感染情况。提取细菌总DNA,采用高通量测序技术对16S rRNA基因的V3-V4高变区测序,分析比较菌群结构。结果 (1)7例胃息肉患者中5例H.pylori阳性,H.pylori感染率为71.4%;对照组与胃息肉组H.pylori感染率无差异。(2)两组之间菌群α多样性差异无统计学意义,β多样性有显著区别。门水平上,两组之间菌群差异无统计学意义;属水平上,胃息肉组胃液奈瑟菌属(P0.05)、嗜血杆菌属(P0.05)、Parvimonas属(P0.05)比例显著增加。结论胃息肉患者胃液菌群发生紊乱,以奈瑟菌属、嗜血杆菌属、Parvimonas属显著增加为特征。     

儿童再发性腹痛中幽门螺杆菌不同检测方法

目的 评价幽门螺杆菌（H.pylori）的不同检测方法及H.pylori感染在儿童再发性腹痛（RAP）诊断中的应用.方法 对在我院诊治的儿童RAP 72例,分为学龄期组24例,少年组48例,同时进行细菌培养、快速尿素酶试验、病理组织学检查、血清学H.pylori抗体检测和粪便H.pylori抗原（HpSA）检测.将前3项检查中2项阳性或细菌培养一项阳性作为诊断H.pylori感染的金标准.结果 金标准诊断H.pylori感染,阳性占37例,阴性占35例,总阳性率为51.4%;学龄期儿童组H.pylori检出阳性率为37.5%,少年组H.pylori检出阳性率为58.3%,两组比较差异有显著性（P＜0.01）;比较6种不同检测方法的敏感性、特异性、准确性,经x2检验,差异均无显著性（P＞0.10）.结论 H.pylori感染与儿童RAP之间存在一定的联系,少年组H.pylori感染率高于学龄期儿童组,而粪便HpSA检测有较高的敏感性和特异性,是一种简便可靠,非侵入性的诊断H.pylori感染的方法,尤其适合儿童.     

全国中西医整合治疗幽门螺杆菌相关“病-证”共识

正幽门螺杆菌(Helicobacter pylori,H.pylori)与慢性胃炎、消化性溃疡、胃癌及胃黏膜相关淋巴组织(MALT)淋巴瘤的发生发展密切相关。1994年幽门螺杆菌被世界卫生组织列为胃癌发生的I类致癌因子,胃癌发生与幽门螺杆菌感染密切相关,根除幽门螺杆菌可降低胃癌的发生率。中国是幽门螺杆菌高感染率国家,同时也是胃癌高发国家,幽门螺杆菌感染不仅是一个临床问题,更是一个公     

Epidemiological study on Helicobacter pylori infection and extragastroduodenal disorders in Polish population.

An association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and extragastroduodenal disorders (EGDD) is still not clear. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between H. pylori infection and the symptoms of coronary artery disease (CAD), facial dermatological changes (FDC), gastroesophageal reflux diseases (GERD), and periodontal diseases (PD) in Polish population. The study was performed between 1996-1999 year on 7,060 adult inhabitants of municipal area of Krakow (aged 18-76, mean 46.3 year; 55.8% female, 44.2% male): 2,204 subjects with EGDD and 4,856 without symptoms of EGDD. Each patient responded to a detailed questionnaire under supervision of medical staff. The H. pylori status was assessed non-invasively using urea breath test (UBT) with capsulated low-dose 13C-UBT (38 mg). Exclusion criteria were: recent H. pylori eradication, treatment with PPI, bismuth and/or antibiotics in the last 4 weeks. Four groups of cases with EGDD symptoms were selected. Within each group exclusively only one of studied symptoms was recorded. The study included 328, 138, 688, and 1,050 patients with CAD, FDC, GERD and PD, respectively. For each studied group an age and sex-matched asymptomatic controls were selected (897, 387, 1,083, and 2,489 control patients). Results: Overall H. pylori infection rate was 69,9% (in 71.4% of 2,204 cases and in 69.31% of 4,856 controls). In CAD group: 68% of 328 cases were H. pylori (+ve) vs. 70% H. pylori (+ve) of 897 controls. An association was not significant: OR = 0.93 (95% CI, 0.72-1.20). In 138 of FDC cases, 59% were H. pylori (+ve) vs. 71% H. pylori (+ve) in 387 controls showing the lack of positive association; OR = 0.60 (95% CI, 0.42-0.87). In GERD, 69% of 688 cases were H. pylori (+ve) vs. 73% of 1,083 H. pylori (+ve) controls and negative association was observed; OR=0.80 (95% CI, 0.65-1.00). In 1,050 of PD cases 75% were H. pylori (+ve) vs. 68% H. pylori (+ve) of 2,489 controls; positive association was significant; OR = 1.4 (95% CI, 1.16-1.68). We conclude that in the studied Polish population, no positive association exists between H. pylori positivity and CAD, FDC or GERD possibly due very high overall H. pylori infection rate. The only positive link observed between H. pylori infection and periodontal disease may reflect direct "in situ" H. pylori pathological action of H. pylori in oral cavity. It is not excluded that periodontal diseases may facilitate the H. pylori oro-gastric transmission and colonisation of the bacteria in the digestive tract.     

Children of Helicobacter pylori-infected dyspeptic mothers are predisposed to H. pylori acquisition with subsequent iron deficiency and growth retardation

BACKGROUND: We tested whether Helicobacter pylori-infected dyspeptic mothers had a higher rate of H. pylori infection in their children, and whether such H. pylori-infected children were predisposed to iron deficiency or growth retardation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 163 children from 106 dyspeptic mothers (58 with and 48 without H. pylori infection) were enrolled to evaluate body weight, height, hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and H. pylori infection using the 13C-urea breath test. A questionnaire was used to evaluate demographic factors of each child. RESULTS: The rate of H. pylori infection in children with H. pylori-infected dyspeptic mothers was higher than that of children with noninfected mothers (20.5% vs. 5.3%; p<.01, OR: 4.6, 95% CI: 1.5-14.2). The rate of H. pylori infection in children elevated as the number of their H. pylori-infected siblings increased (p<.01). For children below 10 years of age, H. pylori infection was closely related to low serum ferritin and body weight growth (p<.05). CONCLUSION: The children of H. pylori-infected dyspeptic mothers had an increased risk for such infection. The risk further increased once their siblings were infected. H. pylori infection in pre-adolescent children may determine iron deficiency and growth retardation.     

幽门螺杆菌感染对过敏性紫癜患儿的影响

目的探讨幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)感染对过敏性紫癜(henoch-schonlein purpura, HSP)患儿肠道菌群、疗效及疾病复发情况的影响。方法选取2017年1月至2018年6月我院收治的100例HSP患儿作为观察组,同时随机选取同时段于我院体检的100例健康儿童作为对照组。采用13C同位素呼吸试验法检测H.pylori感染情况,根据H.pylori感染情况进一步将观察组患儿分为感染组和非感染组。收集观察组患儿粪便样本,采用Illumina MiSeq平台对患儿肠道菌群的16S rRNA V4序列进行测序,分析肠道菌群组成,同时分析患儿疗效及疾病复发情况与H.pylori感染的关系。结果观察组患儿H.pylori感染率显著高于对照组(47.00%vs 30.00%,χ²=6.100,P=0.015)。治疗后非感染组患儿有效率明显高于感染组(92.45%vs 78.72%,χ²=3.900,P=0.048),复发率显著低于感染组(24.53%vs 44.68%,χ²=4.510,P=0.034)。感染组和非感染组患儿肠道菌群多样性差异无统计学意义,但在门、科水平上肠道菌群结构相对丰度差异有统计学意义。非感染组患儿肠道厚壁菌门、放线菌门相对丰度显著高于感染组,同时其拟杆菌科、瘤胃菌科、链球菌科、双歧杆菌科、巴斯德菌科相对丰度也显著高于感染组(均P<0.05)。结论 H.pylori感染与儿童HSP的发生存在一定相关性。H.pylori感染可影响HSP患儿肠道菌群组成,同时降低疾病治疗效果以及增加复发风险。     

Helicobacter pylori infection in Turkish children: comparison of diagnostic tests, evaluation of eradication rate, and changes in symptoms after eradication

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection is most frequently acquired in childhood. After this organism is eradicated, the rate of reinfection is low. Thus, it is very important to diagnose and treat the disease appropriately in childhood, and to be able to assess eradication with certainty. Eradication of H. pylori infection is reported to reduce or eliminate abdominal pain and dyspeptic symptoms in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study involved 102 children who had already been diagnosed with symptomatic H. pylori infection based on gastric histopathological examination, urea breath test, rapid urease test, serology and culture. Each patient's symptoms and family history of gastrointestinal problems were recorded. Using histology as the gold standard for identifying H. pylori infection, we determined the diagnostic sensitivity of each of the other methods. Omeprazole or lansoprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin were administered as eradication treatment, and each patient was re-evaluated by urea breath test 8 weeks later. Each child was re-interviewed about symptoms after treatment. These answers and the results of drug sensitivity testing were recorded. Cases of failed eradication were re-treated with a quadruple-drug regimen of tetracycline, metronidazole, bismuth subsalicylate and omeprazole. RESULTS: The most frequent symptom was abdominal pain (89.2%). Fifty-four per cent of the subjects had a family history of dyspeptic symptoms. Sixty-six patients (64.7%) exhibited nodularity in the antral mucosa. The sensitivities of the diagnostic tests in histologically proven cases were as follows: urea breath test 100%, rapid urease test 89.2%, serology 71.9%, and culture 54.9%. Metronidazole had the highest frequency of resistance (36.4%) and the rate of clarithromycin resistance was 18.2%. The eradication rate after first-line therapy was 75.5%, and abdominal pain and dyspeptic symptoms were reduced or completely resolved in 75.7% of the successful-eradication cases. The proportion of failed-eradication cases that responded well to quadruple-drug therapy was 93.8%. CONCLUSION: Symptomatic H. pylori infection in a child should always be treated. The urea breath test is an accurate and reliable way to identify H. pylori-positive patients and to determine the response to treatment. Triple-agent therapy is effective for eradicating H. pylori infection in children and usually helps reduce or eliminate dyspeptic symptoms. The level of H. pylori resistance to metronidazole is high in our region. The significant rate of resistance to clarithromycin (18.1%) may explain the treatment failure observed in this study.     

Childhood Hygienic Practice and Family Education Status Determine the Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Iran

Background: Management of Helicobacter pylori , a causative agent of gastrointestinal diseases is an important health problem in most countries. The main reasons include poorly defined epidemiological status and unrecognized mode of bacterial transmission. Our objective was to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in a representative population of Iran and to evaluate possible risk factors for the H. pylori infection.
Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 2561 healthy individuals aged 18–65 years (mean age, 35.5 years) were selected out of 12,100,000 inhabitants of Tehran province by cluster sampling. Infection with H. pylori was evaluated by detection of anti- H. pylori IgG antibody in serum. Sociodemographic status of each subject was determined by filling up a questionnaire.
Results: Prevalence of H. pylori infection was 69% and was correlated with increasing age. The highest infection rate (79.2%) was seen in individuals 46–55 years old. No association was detected between H. pylori positivity and gender. Low education of the study subjects; low father's and mother's education; poor tooth brushing habit; crowded families in childhood; and lack of household bath, hygienic drinking water, and swage disposal facility in childhood were determined as possible risk factors.
Conclusions: The rate of prevalence of H. pylori infection was higher than developed countries. Low socioeconomic status, poor sanitary indications, and crowded families in childhood were related to high prevalence of H. pylori infection in Iran. Accordingly, fecal–oral and oral–oral routes could be considered as the main pathways of transmission of H. pylori .     

Immunochromatographic monoclonal test for detection of Helicobacter pylori antigen in stool is useful in children from high-prevalence developing country

BACKGROUND: Tests to detect Helicobacter pylori antigens in feces for diagnosis of infection in children demonstrate controversial results. One novel and fast monoclonal test improves diagnostic accuracy in adults, but clinical evidence of its usefulness at pediatric age is insufficient to date. The objective of this work was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of this test in a sample of Mexican children. METHODS: We conducted a transversal study in 150 selected children with digestive symptoms suggestive of organic disease in whom a clinical history was conducted in addition to a fast monoclonal test (ImmunoCardSTAT HpSA, Meridian Diagnostics) performed by immunochromatography. Patients were submitted to endoscopy and histopathologic study. RESULTS: Of the 150 children (mean age 7.8 +/- 4.7 years), 107 (71.3%) were positive for the test, and presence of H. pylori was confirmed histologically in 109 (72.7%) children, with sensitivity of 96.3% (95% CI = 95.8-96.8), specificity of 95.1% (95% CI = 93.9-96.4), and accuracy of 96.0% (95% CI, -95.6 to -96.3); pretest probability was 0.73, while post-test probability was 0.98. Infection rate and test accuracy increased with age. CONCLUSIONS: This test is useful for detecting H. pylori infection in children of all ages, and is a good alternative for screening studies in developing countries with elevated prevalence, due to its being fast, noninvasive, inexpensive, and easy to carry out.     

The prevalence of helicobacteriosis in regions of Siberia based on serological study data

687 adults in 5 regions of Siberia and 79 children and young persons in Novosibirsk were examined. IgG antibodies to H. pylori in their blood sera were determined with the use the enzyme immunoassay. The detection rate of antibodies among the adult population varied within 70-87%, depending on the region, being somewhat lower among the population north of latitude 60 degrees (75%) in comparison with the population residing south of this latitude (86%, p < 0.001). In Novosibirsk the number of seropositive persons was found to be unrelated to sex, age and clinical manifestations of digestive tract diseases. A high detection rate of antibodies to H. pylori was registered in persons aged 25-34 years with a minor increase in older age groups. In children the detection rate increased with age: 29% in children of 5-10 years old and 56% in children 11-14 years old. By the age of 15 more than a half of the children had antibodies.     

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori in South Korea

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori-associated gastrointestinal diseases have been widely recognized. The aims of this study were to investigate the interval change of seropositivity of H. pylori between 1998 and 2005 in Korean adult population and to find the factors related to H. pylori infection. METHODS: Between January and December of 2005, a total of 15,916 health check-up subjects (aged > or = 16 years) from all parts of South Korea responded to the questionnaire, and the prevalence of H. pylori was investigated by measuring anti-H pylori IgG antibodies. The seropositivity in asymptomatic subjects (aged > or = 16 years) was compared with that of 1998, which was surveyed by the Korean H. pylori Study Group. RESULTS: The overall seropositivity rate (aged > or = 16 years) was 56.0%, and 13.9% of seropositive subjects were found to have a history of H. pylori eradication therapy. With the exclusion of subjects who had a history of H. pylori eradication and current gastrointestinal symptoms, the seropositivity rate of H. pylori became 59.6% in 8020 subjects. Seroprevalence of H. pylori was significantly higher in subjects aged 50-59 years, males, low income group, and subjects from provinces. The seroprevalence in 2005 (59.6%) significantly decreased compared with that of 1998 (66.9%), and the decrease was significant in subjects aged < 70 years, Seoul and Gyeonggi province (which is close to Seoul). CONCLUSIONS: The seroprevalence of H. pylori in asymptomatic health check-up adult subjects in 2005 decreased to 59.6% from 66.9% in 1998, probably as a result of the improvement of socioeconomic status and hygiene.     

High rate of Helicobacter pylori reinfection in children and adolescents

AIMS: Primary Helicobacter pylori infection occurs predominantly in childhood. The aims of this study were to establish the rate of H. pylori reinfection after successful eradication in children and adolescents and to determine the risk factors associated with reinfection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study involved 45 children (20 girls, 25 boys) who met the following criteria: eradication of H. pylori confirmed at least 4 weeks after the completion of therapy, and the search for reinfection at least one year after control of eradication of H. pylori. Demographic data, socioeconomic status and living conditions were recorded. RESULTS: Forty-five children aged 1.2-17.6 years (median, 10.9 years) at the time of H. pylori treatment were reviewed 1 to 9 years after H. pylori eradication. Eight children (18%) had been reinfected (5.4% to 6% per patient-year). Six of 25 (24%) children older than 10 years at the time of diagnosis became reinfected. None of the studied risk factors was associated with reinfection. However, having a sibling younger than 5 years was found in four of seven (57%) reinfected children versus five of 24 (21%) nonreinfected children (p = .08). CONCLUSION: Children become reinfected more frequently than adults. Adolescents become reinfected, whereas acquisition of primary H. pylori infection occurs predominantly in early childhood. Close contact with young children, especially siblings, younger than 5 years could be a more important risk factor than the age of the patient at the time of treatment for the high rate of reinfection in childhood.     

A prospective study for the association of Helicobacter pylori infection to a multidimensional measure for recurrent abdominal pain in children

BACKGROUND: There is a controversial association between Helicobacter pylori infection and recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in childhood and inconsistent information on specific symptomatology of the infection. AIMS: To examine the prevalence of H. pylori infection among children with RAP compared to asymptomatic children. METHODS: Two prospective studies were conducted. The first study enrolled 223 children diagnosed with RAP from two pediatric gastroenterology clinics in Houston, Texas. Children were qualified if they were identified by their physician as having RAP. A new multidimensional measure for RAP (MM-RAP) consisting of four scales (pain intensity scale, symptoms scale, disability scale, and satisfaction scale) was administered to each child/parent. The second study enrolled 330 asymptomatic children from the same community who did not have any upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Symptomatic and asymptomatic children underwent (13)C-urea breath testing. RESULTS: In the first study, the prevalence of H. pylori in children with RAP was 11% and fell with age from 20% at age < or = 5 years to 7% for children > 10 years (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 0.7-11.2). There was no association between the mother's educational level and H. pylori prevalence; (12% among children whose mothers completed college versus 11% among those who had elementary school, p = .8). No relationship was found between H. pylori and mean scores of the RAP scales. In the second study, the prevalence of H. pylori in asymptomatic children was 17% and increased with age from 11% for children < or = 5 years to 40% for children > 10 years (OR = 5.4, 95% CI = 2.0-13.8). The mother's educational level was inversely correlated with H. pylori (OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 2.2-6.1, p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiologic patterns of H. pylori infection differed significantly between symptomatic and asymptomatic children. Younger children suffering from RAP are more likely to be infected with H. pylori than older children with the same complaint, suggesting that early acquisition may manifest in symptoms that lead to clinic visits.