title: Is there a relationship between childhood Helicobacter pylori infection and iron deficiency anemia?
abstract: An association between Helicobacter pylori infection and iron deficiency anemia has been reported in children, and it has been proposed that H. pylori infection needs to be eradicated to treat absolutely iron deficiency anemia (IDA). We investigated whether there was any correlation between H. pylori infection and iron deficiency (ID) and IDA in children, and whether the eradication of H. pylori infection without iron treatment would lead to the resolution of ID. Hemoglobin and ferritin levels, H. pylori stool antigen test and (14)C urea breath test were measured in 140 children aged 6--16 years (median 9.5 years). Children with H. pylori infection were divided into three groups on the basis of hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and serum ferritin levels: groups of IDA, ID, and control. All the children received anti-H. pylori combination therapy consisting of amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and lansoprazole. Hemoglobin and MCV values rose significantly compared with baseline values after H. pylori eradication without iron supplementation in children with IDA (p=0.002 and p=0.003, respectively). Ferritin values increased significantly after H. pylori eradication in children with ID (p<0.001). We conclude that complete recovery of ID and IDA can be achieved with H. pylori eradication without iron supplementation in children with H. pylori infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Hematology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey. ekurekci@gata.edu.tr
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Kurekci
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Atay
authors.forename: S U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Sarici
authors.forename: Ediz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yesilkaya
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Senses
authors.forename: Vedat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Okutan
authors.forename: Okan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozcan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005293:Ferritins