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. 2022 Mar;37(2):304-312.
doi: 10.3904/kjim.2020.433. Epub 2021 Dec 16.

Helicobacter pylori infection and iron deficiency in non-elderly adults participating in a health check-up program

Jun Yeop Lee  1 , Sung Eun Kim  1 , Seun Ja Park  1 , Moo In Park  1 , Won Moon  1 , Jae Hyun Kim  1 , Kyoungwon Jung  1
Affiliations

Helicobacter pylori infection and iron deficiency in non-elderly adults participating in a health check-up program

Jun Yeop Lee et al. Korean J Intern Med. 2022 Mar.

Abstract

Background/aims: Helicobacter pylori infection is presumably associated with iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia (IDA). This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between H. pylori infection and the decline in iron stores in non-elderly adults during their health check-ups.

Methods: We identified a total of 1,069 subjects who were tested for iron, ferritin, and total iron-binding capacity during their health check-ups, from January 2016 to May 2017. Of these, subjects who underwent endoscopy via rapid urease test and those aged 65 years or below were finally enrolled.

Results: Overall, 281 subjects were enrolled, and 187 patients (66.5%) tested positive for H. pylori. The mean age was 36.1 years (range, 22 to 65), and 176 subjects (62.6%) were male. The mean levels of hemoglobin (14.1 ± 1.7 g/dL vs. 14.6 ± 1.4 g/dL, p = 0.019) and ferritin (121.7 ± 106.9 ng/mL vs. 151.8 ± 107.8 ng/mL, p = 0.027) in the H. pylori-positive group were significantly lower than those in the H. pylori-negative group. Iron deficiency (ferritin < 30 ng/mL) was more common in patients with H. pylori infection (p = 0.002). There was no significant difference in anemia (hemoglobin < 13 g/dL in men, < 12 g/dL in women) or IDA (anemia, ferritin < 10 ng/mL, and transferrin saturation < 16%) with H. pylori. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that female sex (odds ratio, 197.559; 95% confidence interval, 26.461 to 1,475.015) and H. pylori infection (odds ratio, 3.033; 95% confidence interval, 1.216 to 7.567) were factors associated with iron deficiency.

Conclusion: H. pylori infection is associated with iron deficiency, suggesting a decline in iron stores among infected non-elderly adults.

Keywords: Anemia; Anemia, iron-deficiency; Ferritins; Helicobacter pylori; Hemoglobins.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic flow of the study. TIBC, total iron-binding capacity; EGD, esophagogastroduodenoscopy; RUT, rapid urease test.
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