Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori and its association with metabolic syndrome in a rural community of Bangladesh

M Masudur Rahman; Md Golam Kibria; Nigar Sultana; Mahfuza Akhter; Hasina Begum; Md Ahshanul Haque; Rashidul Haque; Shafiqul Alam Sarker; Faruque Ahmed; Mahmud Hasan

doi:10.1002/jgh3.12448

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori and its association with metabolic syndrome in a rural community of Bangladesh

JGH Open. 2020 Nov 24;5(1):64-72. doi: 10.1002/jgh3.12448. eCollection 2021 Jan.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital Dhaka Bangladesh.
² Department of Gastroenterology Delta Medical College and Hospital Dhaka Bangladesh.
³ Department of Gastroenterology Mughda Medical College and Hospital Dhaka Bangladesh.
⁴ Department of Radiology and Imaging Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital Dhaka Bangladesh.
⁵ Nutrition and Clinical Service Division International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) Dhaka Bangladesh.
⁶ Infectious Disease Division International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) Dhaka Bangladesh.
⁷ Gastroliver Foundation Dhaka Bangladesh.

Abstract

Background and aim: As the interrelationship between Helicobacter pylori, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is controversial, we undertook a community-based study with the aim to find the seroprevalence of H. pylori and its relationship with MetS and NAFLD.

Methods: This door-to-door survey was conducted among the adult subjects (≥18 years) of two villages (Charcharia of Dhaka district and Kharrah of Munshiganj district) of Bangladesh. Interviews using a structured questionnaire, clinical examination, anthropometric measurements, ultrasonogram of the liver, and biochemical tests were performed.

Results: Of 1021 subjects, 781 responded (76.49%), and 767 were included in the final analysis (mean age 40.35 ± 15.56 years; female 63.5%). Anti-H. pylori antibodies were found in 418 of 767 (54.5%). There were no H. pylori serostatus association with MetS and diabetes mellitus (DM) in univariate or multivariate analysis (all P > 0.05). However, H. pylori seropositive subjects had lower systolic blood pressure (odds ratio [OR] = -2.95 [-5.58, -0.32]) and low density lipoprotein -cholesterol (OR -7.79 [-15, -0.57]) compared to seronegative subjects in the linear regression model. Seronegativity of H. pylori was associated with NALFD in univariate (P = 0.007) but not multivariate analysis (P = 0.086). There were no differences in the frequency of H. pylori seropositivity among the participants with nonobese compared to obese NAFLD (19/42 [45%] vs 43/99 [43.4%], P = 0.844).

Conclusion: In a rural community of Bangladesh, about 55% of the population were H. pylori seropositive, which was more common among the underweight than normal or obese subjects. However, there was no relationship observed between H. pylori seroprevalence and MetS, DM, or NAFLD.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus; helicobacter pylori; metabolic syndrome; non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease; obesity.