<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Infection’s Impact on Thyroid Dysfunction and Serum Interleukin-6 Levels

Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative bacterium associated with peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. The study aimed to evaluate its prognosis and its relationship to sex, age, thyroid function, IL-6, and blood groups. 120 blood samples were collected from patients with gastrointestinal disorders at Al-Salam Hospital in Mosul between May and October 2024. The samples underwent clinical examination, including anti-H. pylori antibodies (chromatography and IgA ELISA to confirm active infection), thyroid hormones (Minvidus), interleukin-6 (ELISA), and blood typing using serological techniques. The study results revealed that the rapid test revealed 40 positive cases out of 120, while the ELISA (IgA) test revealed 36 out of 40. The two approaches did not vary statistically substantially (p = 0.346), but the difference between positive and negative samples when using both methods was significant (p = 0.0001). The frequency of disease among males and females seemed to differ significantly (p = 0.004), with the infection being higher among females (72.2%). A significant difference was also found when comparing infected males (p = 0.002) and females (p = 0.024) to the control group. Regarding thyroid disorders, statistically significant differences (p = 0.0001) were found between individuals infected and uninfected with H.pylori. The incidence of thyroid disorders (hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism) in the H. pylori-infected group was 47.2 % (17 out of 36), compared to 16.7 % (6 out of 36) in the uninfected group. Individuals with H. pylori infected showed a substantial rise (p = 0.0001) in IL-6 levels, with a mean of 35.76 ± 15.46 pg/ml compared to 4.03 ± 4.85 pg/ml in uninfected patients. Blood group A was more common among infected patients than among uninfected patients, with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0001). The present investigation discovered a clear connection between elevated IL-6 concentrations and thyroid issues and the bacteria H. pylori infection.