Helicobacter pylori infection in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Context Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent condition defined by chronic respiratory symptoms and difficult airflow caused by airway and/or alveolar disorders. Helicobacter pylori infection is a chronic stomach inflammation, which dramatically changes the gastric immune reaction, potentially leading to systemic consequences. Aims The study’s goal was to identify the effect of H. pylori infection in the severity of COPD. Settings and design Ain Shams University Hospital, a case–control observational study. Patients and methods The current study involved 40 patients who were diagnosed as COPD and 40 individuals as healthy controls with matched age and sex. All participants were evaluated by clinical assessment, chest radiograph, H. pylori stool Ag test, and spirometry with pre-bronchodilator and post-bronchodilator test. Statistical analysis used To compare quantitative variables unpaired t test was used and for qualitative variables χ2 test was used. Results H. pylori test results in patients and controls showed that 27 (67.5%) and 24 (60.0%) individuals were seropositive without significance between them. Seropositive H. pylori between the stages of COPD were 50% in the mild stage, 70% in the moderate stage, 70% in the severe stage, and 80% in the very severe stage, with no significant difference regarding the relation between the of H. pylori infection and severity of COPD. Conclusion There is high incidence of H. pylori infection in COPD patients and may have a role in the initiation and worsening of COPD in predisposed patients without significant relation between H. pylori and severity of COPD.