No Association between Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; A Case-control Study in the North-Western Part of Ghana

Abstract

Background: Patients with diabetes mellitus are prone to infections as a result of impaired immune status as a consequence of hyperglycemia. Previous studies addressing the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and diabetes mellitus have yielded conflicting results. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the determinants of H. pylori infection among type 2 diabetes patients (T2DM) and its associated predisposing factors. Methods: This case-control study enrolled 112 T2DM patients and 83 healthy adults (controls) who attended the Wa Regional Hospital. Sociodemographic characteristics were collected using questionnaire and anthropometrics were measured according to standard procedure. Stool samples were analysed for H. pylori infection using the Onsite H. pylori stool antigen rapid test cassettes while fasting blood glucose (FBG) was also estimated by using the glucometer. Results: There was no significant difference in the prevalence of H. pylori infection between the two groups [46% (cases) vs 39% (controls); p= 0.3073]. The mean ages of H. pylori positive T2DM patients and H. pylori negative T2DM patients were 56.83±10.50 and 52.81±11.65 years respectively. The mean FBG increased as BMI increased in diabetes and non-diabetes, with obese diabetic patients showing abnormal mean FBG level (7.76±1.44 mmol/l). Diabetes patients showed a higher mean FBG (6.526±0.1683) than the non-diabetes (4.272±0.1099) as body mass index (BMI) increased and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.0001). Conclusion: H. pylori infection was not significantly associated with T2DM. Hyperglycemia, BMI and gender were not H. pylori-related predisposing factors in type 2 diabetic patients.