Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection in a sample of Egyptian Children with Refractory Iron Deficiency Anemia

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Authors: Mohamed N.A.; Youness E.R.; Mahmoud M.A.; Girgiss M.W.; Badran O.M.; Abdallah H.R.

Journal: Biomedical and Pharmacology Journal

Publisher: Oriental Scientific Publishing Company

Publication Date: 25 June 2026

Volume / Issue: Volume 19 / Issue 2

Pages: 1853–1864

ISSN: 9746242

DOI: 10.13005/bpj/3462

Scopus: View on Scopus

Document Type: Article

Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access

Authors and Affiliations

Mohamed N.A., Department of Pediatrics, El Galaa Teaching Hospital, General Organization of Teaching Hospitals and Institutes, Cairo, Egypt; Youness E.R., Medical Biochemistry Department, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt; Mahmoud M.A., Medical Biochemistry Department, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt; Girgiss M.W., Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt; Badran O.M., Department of Hepatology &Gastroenterology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, ImbabaGiza, Egypt; Abdallah H.R., Biological Anthropology Department, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been implicated in refractory iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in children, raising concern due to its potential impact on growth and development. We aimed to determine the occurrence of H. pylori infection in children with IDA, its association with refractoriness to oral iron therapy, and its impact on growth.100 children participated in this cross-sectional study aged 4–12 years with IDA who failed to respond to 6 weeks of therapeutic iron supplementation. Participants, recruited from El Galaa Teaching Hospital, underwent full clinical assessment, anthropometry, and laboratory evaluation for IDA indices, H. pylori infection, liver and kidney functions. H. pylori infection was detected in 77% of patients. Children who were infected had much lower BMI Z-scores, hematocrit (P = 0.001), hemoglobin (P < 0.001), serum iron (P < 0.001), and ferritin (P = 0.003), and significantly higher TIBC (P < 0.001) than uninfected children. H. pylori infection was negatively correlated with BMI Z-score, Hb, Ht, MCV, serum iron, and ferritin levels (P < 0.05), and positively correlated with TIBC (P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in height-for-age or weight-for-age Z-scores. H. pylori infection was strongly associated with refractory IDA and should be investigated in all affected cases. Although no association with linear growth was identified, H. pylori infection was negatively associated with nutritional status, as reflected by lower BMI Z-scores. © 2026 Oriental Scientific Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Growth impairment; Helicobacter pylori; Interleukin- 6; Iron deficiency anemia; Refractory iron deficiency anemia; C reactive protein; ferritin; hemoglobin; iron; anthropometry; Article; blood cell count; body mass; body weight; child; clinical assessment; clinical examination; cross-sectional study; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; female; follow up; Helicobacter infection; hematocrit; hemoglobin blood level; human; iron binding capacity; leukocyte count; liver function test; major clinical study; male; mean corpuscular hemoglobin; mean corpuscular volume; nutritional status; platelet count; preschool child; prevalence; red blood cell distribution width; sample size; school child; urea nitrogen blood level

Citation Information

Scopus Citations: 0

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