title: Effects of a new Helicobacter pylori infection on height and weight in Colombian children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to investigate whether a new infection caused by Helicobacter pylori in preschool children transiently or permanently affects height and weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 347 children from three day care centers was followed up for a median of 494 days. Breath tests and anthropometric measurements were performed every 2 to 4 months. The lag effect of a new infection on linear growth during a period of 8 months was analyzed by using mixed-effects models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred five children (30.3%) became infected during the follow-up period and accumulated 92 person-years of follow-up. A significant decrease in growth velocity was observed during the first 4 months after infection. There was no height catch-up in infected children, and after 8 months, an infected child had a cumulative difference of 0.24 cm (growth velocity; 95% confidence interval, 0.22-0.26) compared with an uninfected child. Newly infected children experienced a small decrease in weight at the first visit compared with uninfected children, which became nonsignificant after the second visit without catch-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows a significant and nontransient effect of infection caused by H. pylori on height and weight. Potential interventions that target infected preschool children are likely to prevent growth retardation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. rmera@lsuhsc.edu
authors.forename: Robertino Manuel
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Mera
authors.forename: Pelayo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.forename: Elizabeth E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Fontham
authors.forename: Julio C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Reina
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pradilla
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alzate
authors.forename: Luis E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Bravo
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male