Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with low serum ferritin levels in Israeli Arab children: a seroepidemiologic study.

We examined the association between Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and low ferritin levels in sera of 509 Israeli Arab children aged 1 to 19 years. Serum ferritin levels were measured using the immunoturbidity assay. ELISA was used to detect serum IgG antibodies to H pylori and IgG antibodies to H pylori CagA strains. Low ferritin level was found between 14.5% and 8.6% of the H pylori seropositive and seronegative participants, respectively (P = 0.035). A trend for a higher frequency of low ferritin was detected among H pylori-CagA seropositive children. Multivariate analysis showed an increased frequency of low ferritin only among children younger than or equal to 5 years: adjusted OR 4.62 (95% CI 1.53-13.99) P = 0.007.