Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Turkish children with celiac disease and its effect on clinical, histopathological, and laboratory parameters

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) in children with celiac disease (CD) and its relationship with clinical, histopathological, and laboratory parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-six patients with serologically and histopathologically diagnosed CD at the Pediatric Gastroenterology Department, Turkey, from January 2012 to March 2017, were included in the study, as well as 1012 patients with dyspeptic complaints. Biopsies of the duodenum and antrum were taken; the existence of HP and the histological level of damage were studied. HP (+) and HP (–) cases were compared according to age, sex, noted complaints, and clinical and laboratory features. RESULTS: Seventy (27.4%) CD patients and 270 (26.7%) patients with dyspeptic complaints were HP (+). The diagnostic age was higher in HP (+) cases, and diarrhea and abdominal distension were significantly higher. Although hemoglobin, ferritin, vitamin B(12), and transferrin saturation were lower in HP (+) cases, the differences were not statistically significant. The serum folate level in the HP (+) group was significantly lower compared to the HP (–) group. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HP was not increased in cases of CD. The CD was diagnosed later in HP (+) cases, distension and diarrhea complaints were more frequent, and folate deficiency was significant.