The Journal of Bucharest College of Physicians and the Romanian Academy of Medical Sciences

Dan Andronescu

Dan Andronescu

Clinical-Therapeutic Correlations in Patients with Iron Deficiency and Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) infection is among the most common infections found in the human population. It is acquired during childhood and persists whole life if not treated. It is commonly found in the elderly, disadvantaged persons, people in general with poor socio-economic status. H.pylori infection may associate iron deficiency due to defective iron take-over from the diet. The objective of this study, on the causal relationship between H.pylori infection and iron deficiency with/without anaemia, was the evaluation of haematological parameters (haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, sideraemia, ferritin) in patients diagnosed with active H.pylori infection and iron deficiency. Out of 681 patients admitted during a period of 5 years in the Focşani Military Hospital with active H.pylori infection, 9.4% (64 patients) presented iron deficiency with/without anaemia, as a cause of H.pylori infection. Of these, 12 patients (18.75%) have normalized their hematological parameters 3 months after triple therapy. Another 25 patients (39.07%) with iron supplements associated, responded favorably to 6 months, more pronounced than the control group of 27 patients (42.18%) who received only iron preparations without triple therapy. The study highlights the need to investigate H.pylori infection in patients with iron deficiency with/without anemia. In this situation, eradication therapy is required.

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