The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and iron-deficiency anemia in pubescent children, susceptible to iron deficiency due to the high iron requirements for growth.

Hemoglobin, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, serum ferritin, and serum IgG antibodies to H. pylori were measured in 937 children (475 boys and 462 girls). Their ages ranged from 10 to 18 years. The prevalences of H. pylori infection were compared between groups, based on the presence or absence of anemia, hypoferritinemia, iron deficiency, and iron-deficiency anemia. The levels of hemoglobin, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, transferrin saturation, and serum ferritin were obtained according to the presence or absence of H. pylori infection.

The prevalences of anemia, iron deficiency, iron-deficiency anemia, and H. pylori infection were 8.1%, 9.1%, 3.1%, and 20.8%, respectively. The H. pylori-positive rates in anemia, hypoferritinemia, and iron-deficiency group were 34.2%, 29.5%, and 35.3%, respectively, compared to 19.6% in the non-anemia group, 19.2% in the non-hypoferritinemia group, and 19.4% in the non-iron deficiency group. The H. pylori-positive rate in the iron-deficiency anemia group was 44.8% in comparison with 20.0% in the non-iron-deficiency anemia group. Hemoglobin and iron levels did not show any significant differences between the H. pylori-positive and -negative groups, whereas the serum ferritin level decreased significantly in the H. pylori-infected group.

H. pylori infection is thought to be associated with iron deficiency in pubescent children.