TY - JOUR
T1 - A population-based survey on gastrointestinaltract symptoms and Helicobacter pylori infection in children and adolescents
AU - De Giacomo, Costantino
AU - Valdambrini, Valeria
AU - Lizzoli, Francesca
AU - Gissi, Anna
AU - Palestra, Marina
AU - Tinelli, Carmine
AU - Zagari, Maurizio
AU - Bazzoli, Franco
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - Background. Helicobacter pylori infection is a frequent infection mainly acquired in childhood. Even if the infection is almost invariably associated with mild to severe gastro-duodenal lesions, no specific clinical picture has been identified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of dyspeptic symptoms and their relationship with the presence of H. pylori infection in the first two decades of life. Materials and Methods. A school-population sample size of 808 subjects from 6- to 19-year-olds was investigated for the presence of gastrointestinal tract symptoms and evaluated by a 13C-urea breath test for H. pylori infection. The relationship between clinical findings and H. pylori infection was evaluated by χ2 statistic or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. Results. Symptoms of dyspepsia were identified in 45% of subjects, while the picture of ulcer-like and dysmotility-like forms were present in 3-4%. H. pylori infection was demonstrated in 95 (11.8%) subjects, 49.5% of them without symptoms. Severe epigastric pain and ulcer-like dyspepsia were significantly associated with H. pylori infection, while recurrent abdominal pain or dysmotility-like dyspepsia were not. Conclusions. Dyspeptic symptoms are frequent in children, and its association with H. pylori infection is more evident than with recurrent abdominal pain. The age at which the infection is acquired seems to be under 6 years of age.
AB - Background. Helicobacter pylori infection is a frequent infection mainly acquired in childhood. Even if the infection is almost invariably associated with mild to severe gastro-duodenal lesions, no specific clinical picture has been identified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of dyspeptic symptoms and their relationship with the presence of H. pylori infection in the first two decades of life. Materials and Methods. A school-population sample size of 808 subjects from 6- to 19-year-olds was investigated for the presence of gastrointestinal tract symptoms and evaluated by a 13C-urea breath test for H. pylori infection. The relationship between clinical findings and H. pylori infection was evaluated by χ2 statistic or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. Results. Symptoms of dyspepsia were identified in 45% of subjects, while the picture of ulcer-like and dysmotility-like forms were present in 3-4%. H. pylori infection was demonstrated in 95 (11.8%) subjects, 49.5% of them without symptoms. Severe epigastric pain and ulcer-like dyspepsia were significantly associated with H. pylori infection, while recurrent abdominal pain or dysmotility-like dyspepsia were not. Conclusions. Dyspeptic symptoms are frequent in children, and its association with H. pylori infection is more evident than with recurrent abdominal pain. The age at which the infection is acquired seems to be under 6 years of age.
KW - Helicobacter pylori, C-urea breath test
KW - Recurrent abdominal pain, dyspepsia
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U2 - 10.1046/j.1523-5378.2002.00109.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1523-5378.2002.00109.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 12485122
AN - SCOPUS:0036942111
VL - 7
SP - 356
EP - 363
JO - Helicobacter
JF - Helicobacter
SN - 1083-4389
IS - 6
ER -