Relationship of smoking and coffee and alcohol consumption with seroconversion to Helicobacter pylori: a longitudinal study in hospital workers.
OBJECTIVE
There are few data concerning the relationship between Helicobacter pylori seroconversion, and smoking habits and coffee and alcohol consumption. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between smoking habits, coffee and alcohol consumption, and H. pylori seroconversion.


METHODS
The data used were derived from a sample of 238 subjects (hospital employees) who were initially (on 1994) seronegative to H. pylori. These subjects were tested again 5 years later (1999). Information concerning smoking habits and coffee and alcohol consumption was collected by the use of a special questionnaire, which was completed by the same cohort of subjects in two different periods (1994 and 1999). Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between H. pylori seroconversion and the aforementioned lifestyle factors.


RESULTS
Neither smoking nor coffee consumption was significantly related to H. pylori seroconversion. Adjusted odds ratio for alcohol drinkers as compared with non-/occasional drinkers was 0.59 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31-1.16, P = 0.13). However, the odds ratio was significantly lower (0.26, 95%CI: 0.07-0.95, P = 0.042) in subjects who reported moderate alcohol consumption at first (1994) examination, as compared with non-/occasional drinkers. Small and heavy drinking were not associated with H. pylori seroconversion.


CONCLUSIONS
There is no significant relation between H. pylori seroconversion and smoking and coffee consumption. The present findings suggest that moderate alcohol consumption might be inversely associated with H. pylori seroconversion.
Gikas
Aristofanis
A
Department of Gastroenterology, Saint Panteleimon General State Hospital, Nicea, Greece. argikas@internet.gr
Triantafillidis
John K
JK
Apostolidis
Nikolaos
N
Mallas
Elias
E
Peros
George
G
Androulakis
George
G
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D003069:Coffee; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012907:Smoking
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D003069:Coffee