Rate of active Helicobacter pylori infection among symptomatic patients of Pakistan

Malays J Pathol. 2017 Apr;39(1):69-72.

Abstract

Only few epidemiological studies have examined the rate of active H. pylori infection in the symptomatic population in Pakistan. This retrospective study presents the laboratory data collected during the past 13 years (2002 to 2015) from 2315 symptomatic patients referred to the BreathMAT Lab, Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute, Islamabad for the diagnosis of active H. pylori infection using the 13C Urea Breath Test. Rate of infection and its association with gender and age were evaluated. The overall rate of active H. pylori infection was 49.5% and there was no association of this rate of infection with gender. An increase in rate of infection was observed with increasing age with significant difference (p < 0.05). The patients that tested negative for this infection might be having symptoms due to stress and indiscriminate use of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in this community. The fact that half of the symptomatic patients were negative needs to be highlighted and further suggests that symptomatic patients should be tested by the 13C UBT before prescribing antibiotic treatment for H. pylori eradication. In addition, there is a need to educate this community about the harmful and side effects of self medication and overuse of NSAIDs.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Breath Tests / methods
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Helicobacter Infections / diagnosis*
  • Helicobacter Infections / drug therapy
  • Helicobacter Infections / microbiology*
  • Helicobacter pylori*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pakistan
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents