title: Gastric histopathology, iron status and iron deficiency anemia in children with Helicobacter pylori infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Helicobacter pylori has been established as a major cause of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease in adults and children. H. pylori infection may also have a role in the development of some extra-gastrointestinal diseases, including iron deficiency anemia. The aim of this study is to investigate H. pylori-related changes in gastric physiology and histology and the relationship of these changes to iron deficiency anemia in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two patients with gastrointestinal complaints were studied. Hematologic parameters, 3-day vitamin C and iron consumption, serum gastrin levels, and gastric juice ascorbic acid levels were compared in patients with and without H. pylori infection. Dietary intake of vitamin C and iron, serum gastrin, gastric juice ascorbic acid content, and gastric histology were compared in patients with H. pylori infection and anemia and in patients with H pylori infection and no anemia. The CagA status of the H. pylori organisms was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-eight of 52 patients had H. pylori. Thirty-one patients had iron deficiency anemia. H. pylori infection was associated with low serum iron levels. H. pylori gastritis was associated with a decrease in the gastric juice ascorbic acid level. Infection with CagA-positive strains was associated with a greater decrease in gastric juice ascorbic acid than infection with CagA-negative strains. However, the gastric juice ascorbic acid levels of patients with H. pylori and anemia were not different from those of non-anemic patients with H. pylori. Among patients with H. pylori infection, pangastritis was twice as common in those with anemia than in those without anemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  H. pylori infection was associated with a decrease in gastric juice ascorbic acid concentration, and this effect was more pronounced in patients with the CagA-positive strain. Pangastritis was more common in patients whose H. pylori.infection was accompanied by anemia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baysoy
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ertem
authors.forename: Evin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ademoğlu
authors.forename: Esin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kotiloğlu
authors.forename: Sabiha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keskin
authors.forename: Ender
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pehlivanoğlu
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood; D005756:Gastritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000502:physiology; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005755:Gastrins; D019266:Iron, Dietary; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori; D007501:Iron; D001205:Ascorbic Acid