survey on Helicobacter pyloriseropositivity status in Iranian children with atopic dermatitis

To evaluate the presence of Sinti-Helicobacter pylori antibody in the sera of children with and without atopic dermatitis [AD] in Kerman province, Iran. In the current study the cases consisted of 128 patients with AD, aged from 6 month to 16 years. One hundred and twenty eight healthy children matched for sex and age were chosen as control subjects. The enrolled patients were selected consequentially from the cases referred to the dermatology and pediatric clinics of Afzalipour hospital, an academic medical referral center in the capital of Kerman province. The diagnosis of AD was made based on the UK working party's diagnostic criteria for atopic dermatitis. The control subjects were chosen randomly among children who were referred to the center for periodic vaccination program and before receiving the vaccines. The subjects in control group who had a personal or family history of allergies [including asthma, atopic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis] were excluded as well. A sample consisting of 3 milliliters of blood was obtained from each subject in the study [including the cases and the controls] for H. pylori serology. In children under 1 year of age, the amount of collected blood samples we reduced to the minimum in the acceptable range. The status of infection with Helicobacter pylori was determined in all subjects quantitatively by measurement of specific IgG antibody via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] method [Trinity Biotech Monbind Captia[tm], USA]. The mean age of the cases with AD and the controls were 5.74 +/- 4.05 and 6.05 +/- 3.36 years, respectively. Of all the children in both cases and controls 45.5% and 55.8% were females, respectively and the remaining were males. Anti-H. pylori IgG antibody was positive in the cases with AD and the control group 25.2% and 24%, respectively that was not statistically significant. The results of this study showed no association between H. pylori infection and AD