The Effect Of Helicobacter Pylori Infection On Growth Among Preschool Children

Objective To investigate the risk factors of growth in asymptomatic preschool children and the effect of H.pylori infection on growth among preschool children.Methods By cluster sampling, we recruited 480 asymptomatic preschool children to survey the socioeconomic status, personal and parental diet habits, hygiene practices, parental height and weight, dietary intakes and growth indexes of these children, then followed-up them for 1 year. Meanwhile, serum H.pylori IgG antibody, automatic Complete Blood Count, serum ferritin, serum total protein, albumin and globulin concentration and hair concentration of zinc, iron and calcium were measured. To the H.pylori seropositive participants, H.pylori stool antigen was also tested; to the H.pylori seronegative participants, H.pylori IgG antibody was measured again before the follow-up survey was over. The status of H.pylori infection was defined as infected when serum antibody and stool antigen were both positive, and was defined as non-infected when seronegative. HA