The association between diabetes mellitus and Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori is a major cause of duodenal and gastric diseases. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with diabetes mellitus, and to investigate the association between H. pylori infection and upper gastrointestinal symptoms. In this case-control study, 79 diabetic patients and 84 control subjects with upper gastrointestinal symptoms were included. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed and gastric mucosa biopsied. H. pylori was identified by rapid urease test and by histology. A serum sample was obtained to measure H. pylori antibodies. The adjusted odds ratio estimates of H. pylori infection among pre-diabetic and diabetic subjects compared to non-diabetic subjects were 0.51 (95 % CI: 0.16, 1.63) and 1.33 (95 % CI: 0.64, 1.79) respectively. No association was found between H. pylori infection and upper gastrointestinal symptoms among three groups. The serology test for H. pylori was positive in 54.4 % (43) of diabetics and 61.4 % (43) of non-diabetic patients (P = 0.689, non-significant). There was significant difference in rapid urease test between diabetes mellitus patients and non-diabetes patients (70.9 % versus 48.6 %, P = 0.002). There was no association between upper gastrointestinal symptoms among diabetes mellitus, pre-diabetic and non-diabetic patients. We found no association between H. pylori infection and diabetes mellitus.