Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment Outcomes of Anemia in Vietnamese School-Age Children With Helicobacter pylori Infection

Background A growing number of studies suggest that anemia caused by <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> (<i>H. pylori</i>) infection is prevalent in developing countries. A combination of <i>H. pylori</i> eradication and iron supplementation may be effective in treating iron deficiency anemia (IDA) caused by <i>H. pylori</i> infection. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence, risk factors, and treatment outcomes of anemia in Vietnamese school-age children infected with H. pylori Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2023 to April 2024 involving 112 dyspeptic children from 5 to 16 years old who were admitted to Can Tho Children's Hospital, Vietnam. <i>H. pylori</i> infection was diagnosed with a positive histopathology combined with a rapid urease test. A bivariate and multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify independent variables associated with anemia in <i>H. pylori-</i>infected children. Results The prevalence of anemia and IDA (iron deficiency anemia) among <i>H</i> <i>. pylori</i>-infected children were 28.6% and 53.1%, respectively. The risk factor for anemia was age group from 11 to 16 years of age (OR: 3.24; CI 95%:1.21- 8.70). Iron supplementation (OR: 0.14; CI 95%:0.03 - 0.66) and periodic deworming (OR: 0.29; CI 95%: 0.10-0.89) were protective factors against anemia. After <i>H. pyroli</i> eradication and iron supplementation, all hematological parameters were increased among 32 anemic patients. Hemoglobin increased from 9.9 ±2.1 to 11.9±2.1 g/dL (p<0.001), mean corpuscular hemoglobin increased from 25.1 ± 4.1 to 28.0 ± 3.3 pg (P=0.003), and ferritin (IQR) increased from 16.7 (9.5-45.2) to 27.0 (15.1-47.0) µg/L (p<0.001). Conclusion Anemia in Vietnamese school-age children infected with <i>H. pylori</i> is prevalent. Taking iron supplements and periodic deworming reduces the risk of anemia. <i>H. pylori</i> eradication therapy plus oral iron supplementation will improve iron status in <i>H. pylori</i>-infected children.