[Long term analysis of chronic gastritis with Helicobacter pylori infection in children and teenagers with chronic abdominal pain].
BACKGROUND
Helicobacter pylori can be the cause of chronic gastritis and gastric ulcer. In children, the infection can be asymptomatic or can be a cause of dyspepsia. THE AIM of the study was to evaluate the incidence of chronic gastritis and H. pylori infection in children and teenagers investigated because of chronic abdominal pain.


METHODS
From the group of 3762 children and teenagers investigated during 10 years in the Department of Children's Disease, Allergology and Gastroenterology University Medical School in Bydgoszcz, because of abdominal pain, we selected 910 patients (24.2%) with chronic gastritis and coexisting H. pylori infection.


RESULTS
We discovered that the highest number of infected children was in the age group 7-14 years (75.8%) then 15-18 (13.2%), 3-6 (10.4 %) and 0-2 (0.6%). The study demonstrated that the number of infected girls (57%) was higher than the number of infected boys.


CONCLUSIONS
In our investigations chronic gastritis with H. pylori infection in children and teenagers diagnosed because of abdominal pain, occurs in about 25% of patients and this fact should be considered in diagnostic procedures and management.
Bała
Grazyna
G
Katedra i Klinika Pediatrii, Alergologii i Gastroenterologii, Akademia Medyczna im. L. Rydygiera, Skłodowskiej 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland. klped@amb.bydgoszcz.pl
Czerwionka-Szaflarska
Mieczysława
M
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data