Hematological Abnormalities among Pediatric Patients with Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Retrospective Study from Jazan, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: To describe hematological abnormalities, particularly anemia and related red blood cell indices, among pediatric patients with biopsy-confirmed Helicobacter pylori infection. METHODS: A retrospective, single-center, and cross-sectional study was conducted at King Fahad Central Hospital, Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Pediatric patients aged 3–13 years with histopathologically confirmed H. pylori infection between 2021 and 2023 were included. Demographic data and hematological parameters, including hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), red cell distribution width (RDW), and Mentzer Index (MI), were extracted from the electronic medical records. Anemia was defined using the World Health Organization age-specific hemoglobin thresholds. Data were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: A total of 53 children were included, with a mean age of 9.6 ± 2.9 years. Anemia was identified in 22.6% of patients. Hypochromia (MCH <27 pg) was observed in 73.6%, while microcytosis (MCV <72 fL) was present in 41.2%. Elevated RDW (>14%) was noted in 36.5% of patients. A MI >13, suggestive of iron-deficiency anemia rather than diagnostic, was identified in 72.6% of the cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Hematological abnormalities, particularly anemia, hypochromia, and red blood cell indices suggestive of iron deficiency, were frequently observed among pediatric patients with H. pylori infection. These findings support considering H. pylori infection in the evaluation of children presenting with unexplained anemia or related hematologic abnormalities.