title: Gastrointestinal symptoms and Helicobacter pylori infection in school-age children residing in Porto Torres, Sardinia, Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Helicobacter pylori infection is typically acquired in childhood, and following the acute event, it is thought that most infections remain asymptomatic. H. pylori has been suggested to protect against diarrhea in childhood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the role of H. pylori in gastrointestinal symptoms in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional sero-epidemiologic study was conducted in Porto Torres, Sardinia, Italy. Demographic information, socioeconomic factors, and the frequency of upper gastrointestinal symptoms during the previous 3 months (e.g., abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, heartburn, halitosis, slow digestion, belching, and weight loss) were evaluated by a questionnaire. H. pylori status was determined by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 95% (N = 1741) of school children between the age of 6 and 15 years from Porto Torres participated. The sero-prevalence of H. pylori infection was 13.3% (229/1727) and similar in boys (13%) and girls (14%) (p = .57). Nausea/vomiting (odds ratio (OR) = 2.2 (95% CI = 1.2-5.1)) and diarrhea (OR = 2.1 (95% CI = 1.3-2.8)) were each significantly associated with H. pylori infection, and these associations remained significant after controlling for other study variables. There was no significant association between H. pylori and abdominal pain or heartburn (p > .25).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study does not support either a role of H. pylori infection in abdominal pain in children or a protective role against diarrheal illnesses or nausea/vomiting.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica Sperimentale ed Oncologica, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy. mpdore@uniss.it
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fanciulli
authors.forename: Paolo A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tomasi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Realdi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delitala
authors.forename: David Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Hoda M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Malaty
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial