AN AGE-SPECIFIC AND GENDER-SPECIFIC ANALYSIS OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of Helicoba cter pylori infection in different age and sex groups from the souther n region of Saudi Arabia, and to relate the results to the high incide nce of gastric cancer in this region. The carcinogenic effect of H. py lori is considered to be age-dependent. H. pylori infection early in l ife predisposes patients to gastric cancer. In contrast, acquisition o f infection later in life leads to development of duodenal ulcer. We s tudied 528 consecutive endoscopic biopsies over a period from March 19 95 to August 1996. The presence or absence of H. pylori was tabulated according to age and sex of the patients. Three hundred and fifty-thre e (67%) of 528 patients were positive for H. pylori. There were 313 ma les, among whom 217 (69%) were positive. There were 215 females, among whom 136 (63%) were positive for H. pylori. The presence of H. pylori in various age groups was as follows: under 16 years, 62%; 16 to 25 y ears, 67%; 26-35 years, 69%; 36-45 years, 67%; 46-55 years, 66%; and 5 6 years and above, 65%. Statistical analysis revealed no significant d ifference between the groups. No significant rise in the infection rat e was noted from childhood to advanced age. These data support the bel ief that H. pylori infection was acquired early in life, leading to mu ltifocal gastritis and thus predisposing the patients to gastric cance r later in life. However, H. pylori may not be the single agent of gas tric cancer inasmuch as the infection affects both genders equally, wh ereas gastric cancer has a male preference. Perhaps some additional fa ctors augment the pivotal role of H. pylori.