Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Patients With Dyspepsia

BACKGROUND: The prevalence rate of gastric infections caused by Helicobacter pylori is different in between as well as within various countries, including Iran. OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of H. pylori in Iranian adult patients with dyspepsia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 548 patients with dyspepsia referred to Namazi Hospital, a referral center for gastrointestinal diseases in Shiraz, south of Iran, were evaluated in a cross-sectional study. The diagnosis of dyspepsia was based on clinical findings. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed for all the patients and two antral biopsies were taken from all the included ones. The patients were categorized based on the endoscopic findings, to four groups: 1. normal, 2. abnormal nonulcerative, 3. ulcerative, and 4. combination of 2 and 3. Two positive test results (Gram staining, rapid urease test, and culture) was considered as a positive-definite H. pylori infection for each patient. RESULTS: From the 548 included patients (238 males and 310 females), H. pylori was detected in 170 (31.2%). The mean age was 40.38 ± 15.39 years old. H. pylori infection was detected in 26.1% of male and 34.8% of female patients and its prevalence increased with age. Eighty three (48.8%) patients were positive for H. pylori infection, of which, 12.4% had normal and 36.4% had abnormal nonulcerative endoscopic findings; 17.1% of patients were ulcerative and 34.1% had ulcer with or without concurrent abnormality. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study showed a lower prevalence of H. pylori infection than other studies and its prevalence increased with age. There was no association between sex and infection. The most common endoscopic abnormality in H. pylori-positive patients was ulcerative lesion.