Research Information System
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, vol.31, no.7, pp.985-991, 2019 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Background: Vitamin D deficiency is known to cause increased predisposition to various infectious diseases and the addition of vitamin D to antimicrobial treatment may improve treatment responses. However, the relationship between vitamin D and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) remains to be determined. Aims: To assess the association between vitamin D deficiency and H. pylori infection. Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients aged 65 and over, who underwent gastroscopy and had gastric biopsy performed between 2010 and 2017. Of the 441 patients, 254 had available 25-hydroxyvitamin D level results and were included in the analyses. Patients were categorized into H. pylori (+) and H. pylori (−) groups, according to histopathological examination results of gastric biopsies. Serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels less than 20 ng/mL were defined as vitamin D deficiency. Results: Of all patients, 43 were H. pylori (+) and 211 were H. pylori (−). More patients had vitamin D deficiency (< 20 ng/mL) in the H. pylori (+) group than the H. pylori (−) group (86% vs 67.3%, p = 0.014). The proportion of H. pylori (+) patients decreased across increasing quartiles of 25(OH) vitamin D levels (p for trend = 0.010). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, vitamin D deficiency was associated with increased odds of H. pylori infection after adjustment for age, gender, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR = 3.02, 95% CI 1.19–7.69, p = 0.020). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency can be associated with increased risk of H. pylori infection. The potential protective effect of vitamin D against H. pylori infection and its possible role in the treatment of H. pylori should be evaluated in prospective trials.