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Eighteen-year-old man with syncope with Helicobacter pylori as the culprit: a case report
Minh H N Nguyen1,2, Haripriya Santhanam2, Nirmal Muthukumarasamy1
1Department of Medicine, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, USA.
Insights
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in a teen caused severe anemia and weight loss, leading to syncope. Early diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori gastritis are crucial to prevent serious complications in children and adolescents.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a common bacterial infection with unique pediatric presentation regarding prevalence, complications, and antibiotic resistance.
- Pediatric H. pylori infections can manifest differently than in adults, necessitating specific diagnostic and management considerations.
Abstract:
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is amongst the most common chronic bacterial infection in humans. Pediatric patients appear to differ from their adult counterparts in terms of the prevalence, the complication rate, and the rate of antibiotic resistance. In this report, we present an 18-year-old man without any past medical history who was evaluated after an episode of syncope. Evaluation revealed a case of chronic H. pylori gastritis leading to gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and weight loss, and his syncope was the byproduct of symptomatic anemia and physical exertion. Pediatricians should think of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in evaluating poor weight gain/feeding in younger patients, and abdominal pain in older patients. Early diagnosis can prevent complications such as perforation, bleeding and obstruction. Endoscopy is the gold standard of diagnosis for H. pylori infection. Noninvasive testing with urease breath test and stool antigen test is reserved for post-treatment testing only. Treatment consists of a 14-day course of a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) and amoxicillin. A third agent, either clarithromycin or metronidazole, is added depending on regional resistance patterns. Testing for eradication at least 4 weeks later is recommended. This case serves as a reminder to primary care providers to be aware of H. pylori infection, diagnosis, treatment and complications.
