H pylori seroprevalence in patients with lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To assess H pylori seroprevalence in lung cancer and determine whether there is a potential association between lung cancer and H pylori infection.


METHODS
The study was conducted on forty consecutive patients with lung cancer, confirmed by pathology (32 men, 8 women; mean age 55.50+/-11.91 years, range 16-77 years). Forty healthy subjects (25 men, 15 women; mean age 43.08+/-12.60 years, range 20-79 years) from the patients' family members were matched to each case subject on the basis of age and socioeconomic status. H pylori infection was detected with a commercially available immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Trinity kit, Biotech co., USA), previously validated in adults (86% sensitivity, 96% specificity) against a gold standard of culture and histology.


RESULTS
H pylori seropositivity was present in 52.5% of patients with lung cancer in comparison to 45.0% of healthy control subjects. Although H pylori seropositivity was more frequent in lung cancer patients than in controls, the difference did not reach statistical significance (OR=1.35, 95% CI=0.56-3.25; P=0.65). In addition, there was no significant difference between cases and controls in terms of gastrointestinal symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
The earlier described association between H pylori infection and lung cancer was not supported in this study. Further studies with larger sample sizes should be undertaken to assess the frequency of H pylori infection in patients with lung cancer and their potential association.
Najafizadeh
Katayoon
K
Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Tehran 19556, Iran. katynajafi@nritld.ac.ir
Falah Tafti
Sayeed
S
Shiehmorteza
Masoud
M
Saloor
Masoud
M
Jamali
Masoud
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial