title: [Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in primary care: sero-epidemiological study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection in primary care in our area and to study factors associated with this infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive and prospective study.Setting. Urban health district with 30 765 people registered.
  
  
  METHODS
  267 patients, selected by quota sampling from the census of age and sex groups, as a function of an alpha of 0.05, 0.06 accuracy, and expected prevalence of 50%.
  
  
  METHODS
  HP infection was studied through validated IgG serology (ELISA Wampole(R)). The following were studied as associated factors: age, sex, education, profession, alcohol and tobacco consumption, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs taken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 38.4, and 51.3% were women. Prevalence of HP infection was 52.4% (95% CI, 46.4-58.4). This proportion increased steadily with age, with a minimum of 11.5% in the 0-9 years-old range and a maximum of 87.5% in the 60-69 years-old group. There was more HP in men (56.9%) than in women (48.2%). In univariate analysis a linear tendency was found between HP infection and increased age (P<.0001) and the consumption of alcohol (P=.003), with no relationship to other variables studied. In the multivariate analysis, only age maintained statistical significance (P=.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our area the prevalence of HP infection is similar to that in other studies: it increases steadily with age and shows en epidemiological pattern that is half-way between countries of high and low prevalence.
authors.affiliation: Médico de Familia. Area Basica de Salud Dr. Carles Ribas, Barcelona, Spain. jbaenad@meditex.es
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Baena Diez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García Lareo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martí Fernández
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: León Marín
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Muñiz Llama
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Teruel Gila
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Baena Díez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rams Rams
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hernández Ibáñez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
vernacular_title: Prevalencia de la infección por Helicobacter pylori en atención primaria: estudio seroepidemiológico.