Association between Helicobacter pylori infection and pathological changes in the gastric mucosa in Chinese children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pathology

Background:

• * *Helicobacter pylori* (H. pylori) infection is a prevalent global health concern in children.
• * Gastric mucosal inflammation due to H. pylori is established in animal models, but large-scale pediatric clinical data are scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of H. pylori infection in Chinese children with upper gastrointestinal symptoms.
• * To assess the association between H. pylori infection and gastric mucosal inflammation and gastritis severity.

Main Methods:

• * Endoscopic examination of 1,634 Chinese children presenting with upper gastrointestinal discomfort.
• * Analysis of clinical and pathological data, including H. pylori infection status and histological findings of gastritis.

Main Results:

• * *H. pylori* infection was detected in 32.1% of the pediatric cohort, with prevalence increasing with age.
• * Infected children showed significantly higher rates of active inflammation, lymphoid follicle formation, and lymphocyte infiltration compared to uninfected children.
• * A notably higher prevalence of moderate to marked chronic superficial gastritis and moderate chronic atrophic gastritis was observed in H. pylori-infected children.

Conclusions:

• * *H. pylori* infection is significantly associated with increased gastric mucosal inflammation in children.
• * The severity of various chronic gastritis types in pediatric patients correlates with the presence of H. pylori infection.