Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2025
Abstract
Purpose: Significant debate exists on the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and childhood asthma. We aimed to explore this association in a cohort of children in Palestine while estimating the prevalence of H. pylori in this population. Methods: We conducted a prospective case-control study among children aged 6–15 years in Palestine, including 44 asthma cases diagnosed by pediatric pulmonologists and 99 age-matched healthy controls recruited through cluster sampling from schools. H. pylori status was determined using a stool antigen test. Asthma severity was assessed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. Data on recent antibiotic use, which could affect H. pylori status, were collected for both groups. Multiple logistic regression analyzed the association between H. pylori and asthma, adjusting for age and sex. The chi-square test assessed the impact of antibiotic use on H. pylori status. Results: The prevalence of H. pylori infection in the study population was 45%. Children with asthma had a lower prevalence of H. pylori infection compared to healthy controls (32% vs. 51%, adjusted odds ratios, 0.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.22–0.99; p=0.04). Antibiotic use in the past month or year did not significantly impact H. pylori status. Among children with asthma, H. pylori infection rates did not vary by asthma severity (p=0.05). Conclusion: H. pylori infection is associated with a reduced risk of asthma in children, suggesting a potential protective role. Further prospective cohort studies are warranted to clarify the mechanisms underlying this association.
Recommended Citation
Hrizat, Alaa; Shahin, Amal A; Mafarjeh, Banan M; Atawneh, Mohammad A; Gharaibeh, Kamel; Rumman, Nisreen; and Sultan, Mutaz, "Association of Helicobacter pylori Infection with Pediatric Asthma in Palestine" (2025). Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers. Paper 469.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/pacbfp/469
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
PubMed ID
39839471
Language
English
Comments
This article is the author's final published version in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Volume 28, Issue 1, Pages 27-37.
The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.5223/pghn.2025.28.1.27. Copyright © 2025 by The Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.