Pediatric Helicobacter Pylori Infection Prevalence and Iron Deficiency Anemia Coincidence among Children in North Central Turkey

INTRODUCTION: To estimate Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) prevalence, coincidence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and related hematological parameters in children of North Central Turkey. METHODS: Hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (n=852); serum iron level (n=175), iron binding capacity (n=175), ferritin (n=197), transferrin saturation (n=254) and 14C urea breath test results (n=1006) were reviewed in children with nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms. H. Pylori prevalence was determined; hematological parameters were compared in H. Pylori positive and negative patients. RESULTS: Overall H. Pylori prevalence was 46,8%. Hemoglobin and hematocrit values were significantly lower in H. Pylori positive patients (T: 4,014 P: 0,000 for hemoglobin; T: 3,486 P: 0,001 for hematocrit). Although MCV values were lower in H. Pylori positive patients, the difference was not statistically significant. Serum iron levels (T: 2,297 P: 0,023), ferritin levels (T: 2,19 P: 0,03) and transferrin saturations (T: 2,541 P: 0,012) were significantly lower in H. Pylori positive patients. Iron binding capacity was higher in H. Pylori positive patients but this was also not significant. H. Pylori positivity is significantly higher in anemic patients (x(2) : 23,533 P: 0,000), in patients with low transferrin (x(2) : 4,948 P: 0,026), low ferritin (x(2) : 6,96 P: 0,008) and in patients with low ferritin and anemia together (x(2) : 13,74 P: 0,00). In females and males, anemia was significantly higher in H. Pylori positive patients (x(2) : 9,033 P: 0,003 and x(2) : 15,016 P: 0,000 in females and males respectively). DISCUSSION and CONCLUSION: H. Pylori positivity rate in the pediatric population of North Central Turkey seems to be a median value within the range of yet reported Turkish prevalence. There is an association between H. Pylori and IDA according to the results of a large pediatric population.