Body mass index and per capita income influence duodenal ulcer healing and H. pylori eradication whilst dietary factors play no part.

BACKGROUND: The role of dietary and sociodemographic factors in the healing of duodenal ulcer following H. pylori eradication remains undefined. AIM: To assess the role of diet, sociodemography and body mass index in the healing of duodenal ulcer and eradication of H. pylori. METHODS: A cross-sectional study consisting of 67 consecutive duodenal ulcer patients was undertaken. Sociodemographic factors studied included age, sex, occupation, educational status, religion, type of family, number of family members, per capita income and residence (urban vs. rural). Personal habits studied included alcohol consumption and smoking. Regular dietary intake over a two-month period was assessed using the food frequency questionnaire. All patients had documented H. pylori infection at the time of inclusion and received standard triple eradication therapy. Follow-up endoscopy and testing for H. pylori were done 4 weeks after completion of eradication therapy. RESULTS: The mean age of the 67 patients (60 male, 7 female) was 39.9+/-13.6 years. Healing of duodenal ulcer was documented in 51 patients. H. pylori infection was successfully eradicated in 31 patients but not in the other 36. There was no difference between the groups (Group A1: H. pylori eradicated, Group B1: H. pylori not eradicated) with regard to dietary and socio-demographic variables, except for BMI, which was significantly higher in patients in whom H. pylori had been eradicated. Per capita income was significantly higher in Group A2 (healed duodenal ulcer) as compared to Group B2 (duodenal ulcer not healed) while there was no difference in dietary and socio-demographic variables in these two groups. CONCLUSION: We found that higher body mass index and higher per capita income were associated with successful H. pylori eradication and duodenal ulcer healing, respectively, and that diet had no role to play in either. Further epidemiological studies from different parts of India and studies that control for Helicobacter pylori are required to establish predictive factors.