Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with idiopathic short stature.
BACKGROUND
Some investigators have recently described an association between Helicobacter pylori infection and children with short stature. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate children with short stature with different etiologies.


METHODS
This study evaluated short patients aged from 1 to 16 years. These patients were divided into a growth hormone deficient short stature group (n = 27) and an idiopathic short stature group (n = 14). A control group included children with normal growth and no abdominal pain (n = 47). Anti-H. pylori antibodies were measured in each group (total of 88).


RESULTS
The antibody positivity rates for each group were as follows: growth hormone deficient short stature group, 7.4%; idiopathic short stature group, 28.6%; and control group, 6.4%. The H. pylori antibody positivity rate in the idiopathic short stature group was significantly higher than in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest an association between H. pylori infection and idiopathic short stature.
Takahashi
Masahisa
M
Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan. tmasa@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Kimura
Hiroshi
H
Watanabe
Kazuyoshi
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000382:microbiology*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D013006:Growth Hormone