Serum Ferritin, Vitamin B₁₂, Folate, and Zinc Levels in Children Infected with Helicobacter pylori

We sought to explore the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and serum ferritin, vitamin B₁₂, folate, and zinc status among children. Fifty patients aged 5–18 years who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy because of dyspeptic symptoms, were studied, prospectively. Patients were grouped as H. pylori positive (group 1, n=32) or H. pylori negative (group 2, n=18) by histopathologic examination and rapid urease test. Fasting serum ferritin, vitamin B₁₂, folate, and zinc levels of patients were measured. Both groups were indifferent according to age, gender, height standard deviation score (H_SDS), and weight standard deviation score (W_SDS). Serum ferritin levels were 33±26 and 50±46 ng/mL (P=.098), vitamin B₁₂ levels were 303±135 and 393±166 pg/mL (P=.042), folate levels were 9.64±3.2 and 9.61±2.8 ng/mL (P=.979), and zinc levels were 95±48 and 87±31 μg/dL (P=.538), in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Ferritin levels of 14 (43.8%) patients in group 1 and 6 (33.3%) patients in group 2 were below the normal range (P=.470). Serum vitamin B₁₂ levels of 9 children (28%) in group 1 and 2 children (11%) in group 2 were below the normal range (P=.287). The findings of the present study suggest that H. pylori infection has a negative effect on serum ferritin and vitamin B₁₂ levels in children. This negative effect on vitamin B₁₂ levels is rather marked in contrast to that on ferritin levels. H. pylori infection has no significant effect on serum folate or zinc levels among children.