Particularities of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Diabetic Patients

Floarea Ramona¹, Georgescu ED², Frunză-Dumitru Anca³, Mitroi-Maxim Corina¹, Maxim RG¹

1 ”Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Sf. Ioan Emergency Clinical Hospital, Internal Medicine Clinic, Bucharest
2 ”Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Sf. Ioan Emergency Clinical Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Bucharest
3 ”Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, ”Prof. Dr. N.C. Paulescu” National Institute of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, Diabetes Clinic, Bucharest

Introduction: In the last few years many studies were focused on the implications of Helicobacter pylori infection in the evolution of patients with diabetes mellitus. Most of the results are controversial. Our aim was to study the prevalence of the bacterial infection and some of its epidemiological features in diabetic versus non-diabetic patients and the particularities of the association of Helicobacter pylori with diabetes mellitus.
Material and method: We studied 70 consecutive patients with dyspeptic syndrome evaluated with The Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire, divided in 2 groups: 35 diabetic and 35 non-diabetic patients.
Results: The prevalence of the Helicobacter pylori infection was similar in our groups (p >0.05). Inside each group, the prevalence of bacterial infection did not differ related to the determination method – serology vs. invasive test (p >0.05). In the diabetic patients we found a positive correlation between the bacterial infection and parameters like family size (>5) (p <0.01). The metabolic control of the diabetics was not influenced by the infection. Regarding diabetes complications, there is significant association of neuropathy with Helicobacter pylori. The eradication rate of infection was similar in diabetic and non-diabetic groups.
Conclusions: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection did not differ in diabetics versus non-diabetics. Both determination me-thods proved similar efficacy for bacterial diagnosis, but is recommended an association of an indirect and a direct method. The bacteria did not influence the glycemic status. Neuropathy is strongly associated with Helicobacter pylori infection.