Helicobacter Pylori Infection among Children with Recurrent Abdominal Pain: A Single Center Study

Background: Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is a common problem in children. Mostly it is functional, but due to recent advanced diagnostic technologies more organic causes are identifying. Among the organic causes Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is common, especially in developing countries. Early detection and treatment of this infection may prevent some serious gastrointestinal problems in later age. Objective: To evaluate the frequency of H. pylori infection as a cause of recurrent abdominal pain in children. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among the children with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in the pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition Department of Bangladesh Shishu Hospital & Institute in Bangladesh from January 2019 to December 2020. A total of 70 patients were included in the study. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory parameters were recorded in a standard data sheet. All the participants underwent to upper GI endoscopy and gastric biopsy were taken in all the patients. Rapid urease test and histopathology of gastric biopsy samples were done to confirm H. pylori infection. Collected data were checked manually and analyzed by SPSS version 22.0. Association of parameters with infection were done by unpaired t-test, chi-square test and fisher’s exact test. Results: Helicobacter pylori infection in children with RAP was 35.7%. Mean age of the infected children was 9.49±2.47 years with male (52%) predominance. There was significant association of infection with lower socioeconomic class (p=0.003). Patients with RAP for>6 months’ duration were significantly associated with infection (p=0.003). Family size and source of drinking water had no effect on results. Most of the RAP patients with positive infection had poor growth (p=0.003). Pallor, abdominal tenderness or vomiting were not significantly associated clinical manifestations of H. pylori infection. Conclusions: Helicobacter pylori infection is ....