Frequency and Clinical Correlation of Helicobacter pylori Positivity in Children Admitted to a University Hospital in Türkiye: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: Helicobacter pylori has been shown to cause several gastrointestinal disorders and its frequency increases with age worldwide. Considering the changing nutritional habits and socioeconomic level in Türkiye, there is no current epidemiological study conducted on Turkish children. In this study, it was aimed to obtain the current frequency of H. pylori in childhood with fecal antigen test which demonstrates only active infection and to show its relationship with clinical findings. This is a cross-sectional study conducted between January 2019 and February 2021. Children who applied to the pediatric outpatient clinic were asked to give stool samples regardless of their presenting complaints. Material and Methods: Presence of H. pylori was determined with fecal H. pylori antigen test. The parents of the subjects were later asked to complete a questionnaire by telephone interview. The questionnaire solicited information on parents' demographic and socio-economic characteristics. Results: A total of 543 children were included in the study (M: 302, F: 241). Fecal H. Pylori antigen test was positive in 11.8% of the children (n=64). The complaints of abdominal pain, halitosis and diarrhea were found to be significantly more common in H. pylori-positive children (p<0.001 for all). As for the socio-demographic characteristics, frequency of H. pylori positivity was shown to be higher in children living in more crowded houses and consuming unbottled water. No relation was found with parents' education level or breast milk intake. Conclusion: This study reflects the actual frequency of H. pylori positivity in İstanbul province. Also, remarkable associations of H. pylori positivity with clinical and socio-demographic characteristics have been demonstrated.