Smoking and Helicobacter pylori infection in a sample of U.S. adults

Although the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection has been assessed in the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES), its possible relation with smoking has not been fully explored.

We used the 1999-2000 NHANES data to examine whether smoking affects the prevalence of H. pylori infection in adults (n = 3689). The prevalence of H. pylori infection, as assessed by anti-H. pylori IgG enzyme-linked immunoassay, was computed according to smoking history and levels of serum cotinine.

Current smoking was associated with an increased prevalence of H. pylori infection (prevalence odds ratio =1.9; 95% confidence interval = 1.4-2.5) after controlling for possible confounders. Current smoking, as measured by increased serum cotinine, was also associated with an increased prevalence of H. pylori infection (1.6; 1.3-2.0). There was no evidence of a dose-response relation.

Smoking may contribute to the persistence of H. pylori infection.