title: Helicobacter pylori infection and iron deficiency in teenage females in New Zealand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iron deficiency is an important problem in New Zealand children and young adults. Iron deficiency and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection are each more common in Māori and Pacific Island ethnic groups.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study seeks to determine if H. pylori infection is associated with iron deficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  792 female students from 7 Auckland high schools (median age 16 years) had H. pylori serology and tests for iron deficiency assessed by a combination of serum ferritin, iron saturation and mean cell volume.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of positive H. pylori serology was highest for Pacific Island students (49.0%; CI 38.0-60.0), intermediate for Māori (26.7%; CI 16.9-36.4) and Asian (24.7%; CI 12.6-36.7) and lowest for European (13.7%; 6.0-21.4) p<0.0001. Students with positive H. pylori serology had lower mean levels of iron saturation (p=0.013), but not of ferritin (p=0.068), haemoglobin (p=0.08) or mean cell volume (p=0.16), compared to those with negative serology. Positive H. pylori serology was associated with increased risk of iron deficiency (RR 1.20; CI 1.08-1.34), but not anaemia (RR 1.01; CI 0.87-1.18), after adjusting for age, ethnicity and school SES decile.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that H. pylori infection is associated with iron deficiency in adolescent females. There are significant differences in H. pylori serology amongst different ethnic groups in New Zealand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. a.fraser@auckland.ac.nz
authors.forename: Alan G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scragg
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schaaf
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Metcalf
authors.forename: Cameron C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Grant
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D005293:Ferritins