Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Military Personnel from Northeast China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Chinese military personnel: A cross-sectional, multicenter-based study

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a prevalent disease encountered in military internal medicine and recognized as the main cause of dyspepsia, gastritis, and peptic ulcer, which are common diseases in military personnel. Current guidelines in China state all patients with evidence of active infection with H. pylori are offered treatment. However, the prevalence of H. pylori infection and its regional distribution in the military population remain unclear, which hinders effective prevention and treatment strategies. Understanding the prevalence of H. pylori infection in the military population will aid in the development of customized strategies to better manage this infectious disease.

AIM

To investigate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in the Chinese military population in different geographic areas.

METHODS

This multicenter, retrospective study included 22421 individuals from five tertiary hospitals located in north, east, southwest, and northwest cities of China. H. pylori infection was identified using the urea breath test, which had been performed between January 2020 and December 2021.

RESULTS

Of the 22421 military service members, 7416 (33.1%) were urea breath test-positive. The highest prevalence of H. pylori was in the 30-39 years age group for military personnel, with an infection rate of 34.9%. The majority of infected subjects were younger than 40-years-old, accounting for 70.4% of the infected population. The individuals serviced in Lanzhou and Chengdu showed a higher infection prevalence than those in Beijing, Nanjing, and Guangzhou, with prevalence rates of 44.3%, 37.9%, 29.0%, 31.1%, and 32.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

H. pylori infection remains a common infectious disease among military personnel in China and has a relatively high prevalence rate in northwest China.

Relationship of Helicobacter pylori Infection with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have become increasingly recognized, both of which affect human health globally. The association of H. pylori infection with NAFLD remains unclear.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Only a random-effects model was used. Odds ratios (ORs) and risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the combined estimates of raw data. Adjusted ORs (aORs) and hazard ratios (aHRs) with 95% CIs were calculated for the combined estimates of data adjusted for confounders.

RESULTS

Thirty-four studies with 218573 participants were included. Based on unadjusted data from 26 cross-sectional studies and 3 case-control studies, H. pylori infection was significantly associated with the presence of NAFLD (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.17-1.36, P < 0.001). Based on adjusted data from 15 cross-sectional studies and 1 case-control study, H. pylori infection was significantly associated with the presence of NAFLD (aOR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.08-1.44, P < 0.001). Compared with control subjects without NAFLD, patients with moderate (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.17-2.39, P = 0.005) and severe (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.30-2.24, P < 0.001) NAFLD, but not those with mild NAFLD (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.9-1.45, P = 0.286), had significantly higher proportions of H. pylori infection. The association of H. pylori infection with the occurrence of NAFLD was statistically significant based on adjusted data from 3 cohort studies (aHR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.05-1.34, P = 0.007), but not based on unadjusted data from 3 cohort studies (RR = 1.41, 95% CI = 0.80-2.48, P = 0.237).

CONCLUSION

H. pylori infection is associated with NAFLD, especially moderate and severe NAFLD. The impact of H. pylori eradication on the prevention of NAFLD should be further explored.