Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and diabetes mellitus are the most important causes of dyspepsia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with diabetes mellitus, and to assess whether the infection was associated with severity of dyspeptic syndrome and metabolic glycemic control.
Material and method: 100 patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2 (41 men and 59 women, mean age 58.59 ani) were included in our study. Each patient completed a self-report questionnaire to obtain information concerning the presence and severity of upper gastrointestinal tract symptoms. H. pylori status was confirmed by serological test and histophatology study of gastric biopsy or 13C-urea breath test.
Results: Prevalence of H. pylori infection was found not to be significantly higher in diabetics than in controls (70% vs 73% ). 49% H. pylori positive diabetics had type 2 insulinonecesitant diabetes mellitus, 27% had type 1 diabetes mellitus and 24% had type 2 diabetes mellitus, with no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). We found no statistically significant difference in the symptoms score between H. pylori positive and H. pylori negative diabetic patients. The main value of HbA1 levels in H. pylori--infected diabetics was 7.31% and 7.47% in H. pylori non-infected diabetics, without significant difference.
Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of H. pylori infection between diabetics and non-diabetics patients and no difference in the symptoms score between H. pylori positive and H. pylori negative diabetic patients. H. pylori in diabetics appears no influence glycemic status.