ASSOCIATION OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI INFECTION WITH METABOLIC PARAMETERS AND DIETARY HABITS AMONG MEDICAL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN SOUTHEASTERN OF IRAN

摘要

Background: To date, there is still inconclusive evidence on the extra-gastric manifestations of Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) infection. Thisstudy aimed to determine whether there is an association between H.pylori infection with metabolic syndrome and dietary habits amongmedical undergraduate students in south-eastern of Iran, Zahedan. Materials and Methods: This cross?sectional study was done among363 undergraduate students in Zahedan University of Medical Sciences during spring 2014. All subjects completed a questionnaire includingdemographic factors and dietary habits. Serum H. pylori?specific IgG antibodies, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high?densitylipoprotein?cholesterol (HDL?C), low?density lipoprotein?cholesterol (LDL?C), and fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels were measured after anovernight fast.Results: The seroprevalence of H. pylori infection was 45.7%. H. pylori?positive subjects had lower mean levels of TC and TGand higher levels of HDL?C compared to H. pylori?negative subjects. In addition, lower levels of LDL?C (P=0.044) and FBS (P=0.05) wereobserved among subjects with positive H pylori infection. Only rare consumption of raw vegetables (odds ratio [OR] =3.74, 95% confidenceinterval [CI] =1.37–5.24) as well as higher levels of FBS (OR=1.031, 95% CI=1.001–1.99) were significantly associated with higher oddsof H. pylori infection in both the univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis.Conclusion: In a small population of young studentsin southeastern of Iran, H. pylori infection was associated with low consumption of raw vegetables and higher serum blood glucose.