Published online Jun 6, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i11.2173
Peer-review started: December 27, 2019
First decision: February 18, 2020
Revised: March 27, 2020
Accepted: May 13, 2020
Article in press: May 13, 2020
Published online: June 6, 2020
Processing time: 158 Days and 13.5 Hours
The Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection rate in China is approximately 50%. H. pylori is a pathogenic factor of peptic ulcer and chronic gastritis. In addition, H. pylori infection may also be associated with a variety of cardiovascular diseases in elderly people, such as arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and cerebral infarction, having deleterious effect on their health. With the aging of the population, the disease characteristics of the elderly population have been increasingly valued by the whole society. We conducted an epidemiological survey of H. pylori infection among elderly people in Beijing to provide a basis for health management of H. pylori infection.
To understand the epidemiological characteristics of H. pylori infection in elderly people in Beijing.
A total of 1090 elderly people aged more than 60 years from different parts of Beijing (urban and rural areas) were selected using the random cluster sampling method. Structured questionnaires were completed during home visits and the 13C-urea breath test was conducted for H. pylori detection.
The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 46.5% (507/1090). The infection rate in men was 51.8%, which was significantly higher than that in women (42.5%; P < 0.05). The H. pylori infection rate in illiterate people was significantly higher than that in literate persons (53.5% vs 44.8%, P < 0.05). The total infection rate of H. pylori gradually increased with age and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). The H. pylori infection rate in smokers was significantly higher than that in non-smokers and those who had quit smoking (P < 0.05).
The prevalence of H. pylori infection among elderly people is 46.5% and the infection rate gradually increases with age. Sex, education level, age, and smoking were determined to be H. pylori infection risk factors. The relationship of H. pylori infection with region, occupation, drinking, and diet structure needs to be further studied.
Core tip:Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is globally distributed and elderly people are a high-risk population. With the ageing of society, the elderly population suffering from digestive diseases combined with H. pylori infection has accounted for a considerable proportion. We conducted an epidemiological survey of H. pylori infection among elderly people in Beijing to provide a basis for health management of H. pylori infection. This is a large elderly population and interesting associations between H. pylori and subjects’ habits have been found. This article is the latest epidemiological study on the H. pylori infection in elderly people in Beijing, China.