Relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and weight and/or height deficiencies among children and youth is still discussed. Influence of H. pylori infection on physical development of children and youth needs to be still studied because observations of different authors are ambiguous. THE AIM OF THE STUDY was to determine the correlation between H. pylori infection and weight, height and nutritional deficiencies.
Material and methods: Study was based on retrospective analysis of analyzed parameters among 1367 children and youth between 2 and 17 years old hospitalized in Clinic of Pediatrics, Allergology and Gastroenterology of Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz due to symptoms from gastrointestinal tract. All patients had gastroscopy and histological study of gastric mucosa. Patients were divided into two groups: group I - patients with H. pylori infection (n=658), group II patients without H. pylori infection (n=709). In all groups weight, height (in percentiles) and nutritional status were compared by Cole coefficient. Weight and height under 10 percentile were treated as deficiency. Malnutrition was diagnosed among children and youth with Cole coefficient less than 90%. Correlation between individual clinical symptoms and H. pylori infection was also assessed. Among analyzed patients with H. pylori infection following subgroups were singled out: subgroup 1 - patients with weight deficiency (n=129), subgroup 2- patients with correct weight (n=478), subgroup 3 - patients with malnutrition (n=77), subgroup 4 - patients without malnutrition (n=488). Patients were divided into three groups in aspect of age: group A - between 2 to 7 years old (n=199), group B - between 8 to 13 years old (n=686), group C - between 14 to 17 years old (n=482).
Results: On the basis of performed analysis statistically significant higher prevalence of weight deficiency and malnutrition among children and youth with H. pylori infection was observed in comparison to peers without infection which indicates significant role of bacteria in malnutrition pathogenesis. In the group of children and youth with H. pylori infection statistically significant higher incidence of abdominal pains, nausea, regurgitations and flatulence in comparison to patients without infection was observed.
Conclusions: On the basis of performed analysis following conclusions are possible to make: 1. Significantly higher incidence of weight deficiency and malnutrition among children and youth with H. pylori infection indicates significant role of infection in malnutrition pathogenesis. 2. It appears that among children and youth with H. pylori infection and nutritional status abnormalities independently of inflammatory changes in gastric and duodenal mucosa eradicational therapy should be considered.