Association of Helicobacter pylori Infection with Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants and Toddlers

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a gram-negative pathogen, has been shown to colonize multiple organs and cause various forms of extra-gastrointestinal diseases. The association of H. pylori infection with vitamin D status in apparently healthy children remained unclear; therefore, we investigated the relationship between vitamin D and H. pylori infection among apparently healthy infants and toddlers. In this large cross-sectional study, the examination data of children were collected from January 2013 to September 2017 in the Center for Children's Health Care. Among these children, 6,896 infants and toddlers were screened for our study. Helicobacter pylori infection and vitamin D status were the main indicators, and micronutrients (zinc, iron, copper, magnesium), and growth parameters (height, weight, and weight for age Z score [WAZ], height for age Z score [HAZ]) were also analyzed in this study. Among the 6,896 infants and toddlers, the detection rate of H. pylori seropositivity was 30.6%. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in H. pylori seropositive and seronegative groups was 20.7% and 12.1%, respectively (P < 0.001). The logistic regression analysis suggested children with H. pylori-positive antibody were 2.06 times more likely to be vitamin D deficient compared with children who had negative H. pylori antibody (odds ratio: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.77, 2.38) after controlling for confounding factors. These data suggested that there was a significant association between H. pylori seropositivity and vitamin D deficiency in children aged 6-36 months, which would make a contribution to the treatment and monitoring of vitamin D deficiency and H. pylori infection.

Effect of helicobacter pylori infection on serum vitamin D levels patients with dyspepsia

“…Most of the studies that clearly define this relationship have been conducted in the adult age group [6,15]. Limited studies have been conducted on the growth and changes in micronutrient contents of HP infection in childhood [16][17][18][19]. Our research found that the HP positive group had higher median height SDS and median weight SDS than that of controls (Table 1).…”

“…The data are very variable in studies examining the relationship between HP infection and developmental delay in children. Janjetic et al could not find an association between hp infection and growth retardation, while Gao et al and Süoglu et al[17,19,20] found a significant level of growth retardation in patients with HP infection. Although HP infection was observed to be accompanied by short stature, its mechanism has not been clearly defined.…”

“…25-OH-D3 deficiency may disrupt calcium-phosphorus metabolism and cause bone development disorders to rickets [22]. The study from Gao et al [19] was conducted to show the relationship between childhood Hp infection 25-OH-D3, 6.896 infants (2.113 HP positive and 4.873 HP negative) were retrospectively evaluated in terms of serum HP antigen and nutrient serum values, especially 25-OH-D3. As a result, 25-OH-D3 was significantly lower in the HP positive group than that of controls.…”

The association between gastric bacterial infection and low level of vitamin D among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

“…In contrast, many studies did not report this association, the same as in 25,30 .On the other hand, the hypothesis of Helicobacter pylori infection can lead to a rising risk of development of diabetes in an infected individual. In some studies, diabetic patients are more likely to be infected with Helicobacter pylori, which can have an essential role in this area; some research suggests that Helicobacter pylori infection is more suitable for developing diabetes 33 .On the other hand, individuals infected with Helicobacter pylori have been recorded a low level of vitamin D compared with non-infected individuals; the explanation of this is that Helicobacter pylori effect on D vitamin receptor both at the tissue and the cell levels 41 . Surmeli et al 17 proposed the incorporation of D vitamin to the treatment protocol of some infectious diseases lead to improve the treatment course Some researchers consider a low level of vitamin D to become a risk factor for infection with Helicobacter pylori and cause the failure of its treatment and suggested that to add vitamin D as a therapy to help in the eradication of infection because of antimicrobial effect and played a vital role in gastric mucosa homeostasis and host protection against infection with Helicobacter pylori 15,18 .…”

Review: Helicobacter pylori infection in children

“…Studies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 23 and Lagos, Nigeria, 24 show a correlation between H pylori infection and short stature. Similarly, a large cross‐sectional study carried out in China on 6,896 apparently healthy patients 6‐36 months old determined that H pylori seropositive children were more likely to be vitamin D deficient and had a lower weight and height 25 . However, these studies do not provide evidence of causation.…”