Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection in High-school Students on Lanyu Island, Taiwan: Risk Factor Analysis and Effect on Growth

Chi, Hsin; Bair, Ming-Jong; Wu, Ming-Shiang; Chiu, Nan-Chang; Hsiao, Ya-Chun; Chang, Kuan-Yu

doi:10.1016/S0929-6646(10)60005-8

« Previous Next »Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Volume 108, Issue 12 , Pages 929-936, December 2009

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection in High-school Students on Lanyu Island, Taiwan: Risk Factor Analysis and Effect on Growth

Hsin Chi
- Department of Pediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- College of Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
Ming-Jong Bair
- College of Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taitung, Taiwan
Ming-Shiang Wu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
Nan-Chang Chiu
- Department of Pediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- College of Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei, Taiwan
Ya-Chun Hsiao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taitung, Taiwan
Kuan-Yu Chang
- Department of Surgery, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taitung, Taiwan
- Correspondence to: Dr Kuan-Yu Chang, Department of Surgery, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taitung Branch, 1 Lane 303, Changsha Street, Taitung 95054, Taiwan

Received 2 September 2008; received in revised form 17 March 2009; accepted 30 June 2009.

Background/Purpose

The Yami inhabit Lanyu Island and are the smallest and most primitive aboriginal tribe in Taiwan. Lanyu Island is a closed environment and little information is available on the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection there. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of H. pylori infection in high-school students on Lanyu Island and its risk factors and effect on growth.

Methods

A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted among high-school students to determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection by using the ¹³C urea breath test. A questionnaire was administered to the recruited population. Relevant personal and socioeconomic data for risk factors of infection were collected. Body height and weight of the recruited adolescents in relation to H. pylori infection were analyzed.

Results

A total of 106 high-school students (55 boys and 51 girls), with a mean age of 14.3 ± 1.4 years were enrolled. The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection was 54.7%. Those residing in Dongcing village had the highest rate of H. pylori infection (73.3%). There was no difference in the prevalence of H. pylori infection according to sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic level or parental education. Sixty-two students (54.8%) were completely asymptomatic and the others had at least one gastrointestinal symptom. H. pylori infection was asymptomatic in 56.8% and symptomatic in 53.2% of students. There was no significant difference between infected and uninfected children with regard to body weight, height and body mass index.

Conclusion

The prevalence of H. pylori infection is high among high-school students on Lanyu Island. There is no evidence that infection is related to growth failure.

Key Words: adolescent , growth , Helicobacter pylori , prevalence , urea breath test