Association between Helicobacter pylori Infection and Iron Deficiency Anemia in School-aged Iranian Children.

OBJECTIVES: To find the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and iron deficiency anemia in school-aged children.

METHODS: 71 children with dyspepsia, epigastric and vague abdominal pain attending a tertiary medical center in Iran underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and were investigated for H. Pylori infection. Hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), serum ferritin, total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and serum iron levels were compared between children with or without H. pylori infection.

RESULTS: H. pylori infection was detected in 42 (59.1%) patients. Proportion of children with iron deficiency anemia was not statistically different between two groups (26.2% vs. 14.3%; P=0.48). While hemoglobin was significantly lower in children with H. pylori infection (P=0.01), there were no significant differences in serum level of ferritin, iron, mean corpuscular volume and total iron binding capacity.

CONCLUSIONS: Presence of H. pylori does not seem to play an important role in the pathophysiology and development of iron deficiency anemia in school-aged Iranian population.