[Associated risk factors in patients with gastric intestinal metaplasia with mild gastroduodenal disease. Is it always related to Helicobacter pylori infection?].

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the presence or absence of association of Helicobacter pylori infection (HP) as risk factor for gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM), and to determine concomitant cofactors.

METHODS

A prospective, case-control study was performed from October 2010 to May 2011, in outpatients without significant gastroduodenal disease. The presence or absence of IM was diagnosed by gastric biopsies (case or control, respectively). H. Pylori infection, age, sex, smoking, alcohol drinking, family history of gastric cancer and bile reflux were evaluated. Odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% CIs were estimated by logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 440 patients (88 cases and 352 controls) were studied, with a mean age ± SD of 44.3 ± 15.7 years; 58.2% were women. Prevalence of HP infection was 51.6% in the population and 46.6% in patients with IM. The mean age was significantly higher in cases (56.5 years vs. 39, p = 0.0005), whereas no differences in other variables studied. In bivariate analysis, only age ≥ 50 years was a risk factor (OR = 4.47, 95% CI 2.66-7.57), whereas in multivariate analysis the risk factors were age ≥ 50 years (OR = 4.67, 95% CI 2.79-7.81), bile reflux (OR = 3.66, 95% CI 1.71-7.83) and history of alcohol drinking (OR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.33-4.03). HP infection showed an OR less < 1 (OR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.51-1.41).

CONCLUSIONS

Risk factors associated with the presence of IM in outpatients without significant gastroduodenal disease were age ≥ 50 years, bile reflux and a history of alcohol drinking in the population studied. H. Pylori infection was not associated as risk factor for IM.