Unique features and risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection at the main children's intermediate school in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia.
BACKGROUND
This study was conducted to determine characters and risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection and its relationship with recurrent abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal symptoms at the main children's intermediate school in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted at a boys' intermediate school. A questionnaire for the gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and relevant personal and socioeconomic risk factors related to H. pylori infection was distributed followed by H. pylori IgG antibody assay and 14C urea breath test to detect active infection.


RESULTS
H. pylori was diagnosed by positive urea breath test in 51.5 % of students. H. pylori infection was symptomatic with at least one upper GI symptom in 89.7 % of infected students which was higher than symptomatic cases reported in any other study. H. pylori-infected students had significantly more association with the presence of any upper GI symptom (p < 0.001), recurrent abdominal pain (p < 0.001), anorexia (p < 0.001), nausea (p < 0.026), family history of peptic disease (p < 0.001), drinking desalinated municipal water (p < 0.001), lower income (p = 0.02), and eating outside home (p = 0.003) than uninfected students. Logistic regression analysis showed that the most significant predictors of H. pylori infection were presence of any upper GI symptom (OR 5.3, 95 % CI 2.32-15.71), family history of peptic disease (OR 2.2, 95 % CI 1.11-3.9), and drinking desalinated municipal water (OR 2.1, 95 % CI 1.09-3.2).


CONCLUSIONS
This study presented unique features and risk factors of H. pylori infection in 12-15-year-old Saudi boys in Rabigh, and mainly supported the role of H. pylori in causing recurrent abdominal pain.
Pediatric Department, Rabigh Medical College, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Hamed Said
HS
Habib
Moustafa Abdelaal
MA
Hegazi
Hussam Aly
HA
Murad
Elamir Mahmoud
EM
Amir
Taher Fawzy
TF
Halawa
Basem Salama
BS
El-Deek
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001944:Breath Tests; D002648:Child; D060766:Drinking Water; D005756:Gastritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015415:Biomarkers; D060766:Drinking Water; D007074:Immunoglobulin G