Summary:
Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) remains one
of the most common worldwide human infections and is
associated with a number of important upper gastrointestinal
(GI) conditions including chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer
disease, gastric carcinoma and special type of lymphoma.
Anaemia is a common disorder in developing countries and
the commonest cause is iron deficiency. There are many
causes for high prevalence of this disorder in our society,
many are well-known and investigated while some are new
and not well established. Although H. pylori associates peptic
ulcers and gastric malignancy can cause bleeding, resulting
in iron deficiency, but majority of patients infected with H.
pylori does not have ulcer or malignancy. They usually
have chronic gastritis that is not associated with GI bleeding.
About 35% of iron deficiency anaemia cases remain
unexplained after a gastrointestinal evaluation. Recently
investigation focused on the role of H. pylori, in the
development of extra-gastrointestinal diseases including Iron
deficiency anaemia.
Methodology: This observational, cross sectional study was
carried out at BSMMU, Dhaka from July 2010 to October
2011 to find out the association between H. pylori infection
and iron deficiency anemia in Bangladeshi adults. Patients
with dyspepsia and indication of upper GI endoscopy were
initially enrolled in the study and finally a total of 168
subjects were included based on inclusion and exclusion
criteria.
Result: Among 168 patients, 105 (62.5%) were male and
63(37.5%) were female with the mean age of 33.25 years. On
endoscopy, 147(87.5%) of the patients had normal findings
and 21(12.5 %) had erosive gastritis. None of them had
hemorrhagic erosive gastritis. Among 168 patients,
115(68.45%) were positive and 53(31.55%) were negative
for H. pylori by rapid urease test.
In our study, we have found a significant low mean serum
ferritin level (P<0.001) in H. pylori infected patients. This
result is consistent with most of previous data concerning the
effect of H. pylori infection on iron metabolism. This study
has also revealed a significant (P<0.001) lower value of
mean MCV and MCH in H. pylori positive patients.
Regarding hemoglobin value, our study has showed no
significant (P>0.05) different in hemoglobin level according
to H. pylori status.
Conclusion: Though there was no significant low
hemoglobin level in our study, mean hemoglobin level was
low in H. pylori positive patient. In our study H. pylori was
not significantly associated with iron deficiency anemia but
it was significantly associated with iron deficiency.
Key words: Helicobacter pyloin (HP), iron deficiency
anaemia (IDA), Proton pump inhibitor (PPI).
(J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2020; 38: 68-78)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/jbcps.v38i2.45630