Impact of Helicobacter pylori infection on diabetes: A cross-sectional investigation in Northern Iran

Globally, Helicobacter pylori represents one of the leading chronic infections, and is suspected to contribute to extra-digestive diseases, notably diabetes mellitus (DM). Despite growing interest, data from Middle Eastern populations are limited. This study was conducted to determine the occurrence of diabetes and explore its relationship with H. pylori infection. This analytical cross-sectional study included 383 patients with histologically confirmed H. pylori infection admitted to a tertiary care center in the North of Iran, between March 2021 and March 2023. Demographic records, diabetes status, fasting blood glucose (FBS), and gastritis severity were extracted from medical archives. Diabetes was defined using international diagnostic criteria. Among the 383 patients, 90 (23.5%) had diabetes. Diabetic patients were significantly older than non-diabetics (63.5 ± 10.8 vs. 56.3 ± 17.8 years, p<0.001), and diabetes prevalence increased with age, reaching 36.7% in patients ≥70 years. FBS was markedly higher in diabetic patients compared with non-diabetics (173.8 ± 48.5 vs. 100.6 ± 14.4 mg/dL, p<0.001). No significant association was observed between diabetes and gender (p=0.059) or gastritis severity (p=0.692). Duration of diabetes did not differ significantly across gastritis grades (p=0.352). Nearly one-quarter of patients with H. pylori infection in Northern Iran had diabetes, with older age and higher FBS significantly associated with its presence. Our analysis did not reveal a significant link between diabetes and the histological severity of gastritis. These results underscore the necessity for prospective research to elucidate the causal mechanisms linking H. pylori infection and diabetes.