METHODS: Serum samples from asymptomatic children tested for H. pylori seropositivity using an ELISA test.
RESULTS: Five hundred and fourteen healthy urban Malaysian children aged 0.5 to 17 (mean 5.9) years from three different racial groups had their blood tested for H. pylori antibodies. The overall prevalence was 10.3%. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of infection between boys and girls, but a significant rise was noted with increasing age (P = 0.009). Seropositivity was most common in the Indians and lowest in the Malays (P = 0.001). Father's level of education did not affect the child's rate of H. pylori seropositivity.
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of H. pylori seropositivity among asymptomatic urban Malaysian children is lowest in Malays. Intermediate in Chinese and highest in Indians. The racial differences found in children are consistent with those found in Malaysian adults.
METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study on gastric biopsies from 234 consecutive patients (mean age 53.5 [14.8] years) who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy between January 2006 and December 2006.
RESULTS: There were 137 (59%) men and 185 (79%) Malay patients. Among 234 biopsies, CAG was found in 99 and non-atrophic gastritis in 135. Intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia were detected in 8 and 6 atrophic gastritis biopsies, respectively, and in 10 and 3 of non-atrophic gastritis biopsies, respectively. H. pylori were detected in 16 (9 Malays, 7 non- Malays) biopsies (p=0.024); intestinal metaplasia was detected in 4 biopsies (p=0.3) and dysplasia in 5 biopsies (p=0.3). Of the 218 biopsies negative for H. pylori, intestinal metaplasia was found in 14 and dysplasia in 4. The risk of intestinal metaplasia as well as dysplasia was associated with presence of H. pylori infection (p=0.029 and p<0.001 respectively).
CONCLUSION: Even in a setting of low prevalence of H. pylori, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia were significantly associated with H. pylori infection. The frequency of intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia was similar different between biopsies with atrophic gastritis and non-atrophic gastritis.
METHODS: H. pylori infection data among 1 965 consecutive patients referred to the Endoscopy Unit collected at Sungai Petani Hospital for oesophagogastro-duodenoscopy (OGD). The patients were divided into 9 age groups (10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80-89 and 90-99 years). In addition these groups were further divided into three minor group namely young adults (10-39), older adults (40-69) and geriatric groups (70-99).
RESULTS: Overall prevalence of infection of H. pylori was analyzed and found that the prevalence increase with age (P<0.05). When the patients divided by ethnic and gender group with age, prevalence rate among young adults and older adults significantly higher (P<0.05) compared to geriatric groups across all races and gender (P<0.05). Furthermore, significantly higher number of males were infected compared to female (P<0.05) but such trend was only observed among older adult groups. In addition, there is a significant differences in H. pylori infection prevalence rates among ethnic groups (highest in Indians adults, followed Chinese and low in Malays, P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of H. pylori did increase with age group across ethnicity and gender, in Northern Peninsular Malaysia.