Background: Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) has been recognized as the causative agent of primary or unexplained gastritis in children as well as in adults. Howerever, there is little information on the prevalence and clinical significance of H.
pylori
gastritis in Korean children.
Method: In term of determination to the prevalence of H. pylori infection in children by measuring serum IgG level of H. pylory, we retrospectively reviewed 48 patients with the gastrointestinal(GI) symptoms and 18 patients without any GI
symptoms.
Results:
1) The positive rate of H. pylori IgG in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms such as an abdominal pain, vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding was 32 cases(66.7%) and that of patient without GI symptom was 3 cases(16.7%). The concentration of
serum
IgG to H. pylori was significantly higher in the patients with GI symptoms than that of asymptomatic group(P<0.001).
2) IgG positive rat to H. pylori by age in patients with GI symptoms was 1 case(3.1%) in 0~1 year of age, 2 cases (6.2%) in 2~6 years of age, 22 cases(66.8) in 7~12 years of age and 7 cases(21.9%) in older than 12 years. IgG positive rate in
patients
of 6~12 years of age was relatively high rate but there is no statistical signicance.
3) Among total 48 patient with GI symptoms, patients with chronic abdominal pain was 21 cases and those with acute abdominal pain was 27 cases. H. pylori IgG positive rate in patient with chronic abdominal pain was 17 cases(81.0%) and patient
with
acute abdominal pain was 15 cases(55.6%) but there was no statistical significance.
4) In our retrospective study, A total 10 patients with GI symptoms was performed with endoscopic examination and its results of findings were revealed as 5 cases of gastritis, 3 cases of gastric ulcer, 2 cases of normal mucosa. The patient
number
of
IgG positive to H. pylori in gastritis, gastric ulcer, normal mucosa was 4, 3 and 2 respectively.
Conclusion: H. pylori IgG positive rate in Korean children is significant higher than that of other developed countries, and that in patients with gastrointestinal symptom is significant higher than that of asymptomatic children. Therefore
children
with
GI symptom should not be misdiagnosed as a simple gastritis due to psychologic problem or stress and they should be evaluated for possible H pylori infection.
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