Seroprevalence of anti-helicobacter pylori antibodies in hepatitis B and C patients with cirrhosis: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: Cirrhosis is terminal stage of many chronic liver diseases like hepatitis C and hepatitis B. In some stud- ies the role of helicobacter pylori has been demonstrated in progress of cirrhosis and its complications, but none of the previous studies has investigated the role of socioeconomic conditions of patients in childhood period in this issue. METHODS: In a case-control study, we examined 100 cirrhotic patients due to hepatitis (49 hepatitis B and 51 hepatitis C patients) and 101 socioeconomically matched healthy controls presenting to Taleghani Hospital for IgG antibody to helicobacter pylori. RESULTS: IgG antibody to helicobacter pylori was present in 73% of cirrhotic patients and 52% of control group (P<0.003). Odds ratio for the presence of IgG antibody to helicobacter pylori in cirrhotic men comparing with healthy men was 3.2 (95%CI: 1.4-7.4). CONCLUSIONS: The relative frequency of IgG antibody to helicobacter pylori found to be higher in cirrhotic patients than in controls with regard to socioeconomic condition in childhood.