Association of helicobacter pylori infection with type 2 diabetes

INTRODUCTION: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been associated with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and subsequent insulin resistance and epidemiologically linked to type 2 diabetes. OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence rate of H. pylori infection in type 2 diabetes and its relation with HbA1C levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional case-control study, 80 patients (≥18 years) who met the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) criteria for diabetes were recruited. Similarly, 60 age, sex, and education matched healthy controls were taken. They were tested for H. pylori infection by rapid urease test, histological examination of antral endoscopic biopsy specimens and serology. The relationship between H. pylori infection and levels of plasma glucose and HbA1C was assessed. RESULTS: Out of the 80 patients of type 2 diabetes, H. pylori infection was found in 62 (77.5%) while it was present in only 35 (58.3%) of 60 controls, which was found to be significant (Chi-square test: 5.919, df = 1, P value = 0.015). Mean HbA1C among diabetics with H. pylori infection was 8.19 ± 1.16% and without H. pylori infection was 6.9 ± 0.84% (t = 4.3872, P value = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of H. pylori infection was significantly higher in diabetes as compared to controls. Presence of H. pylori infection significantly correlated with the level of HbA1C.