Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in the healthy population of Madrid (Spain)

To determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in the healthy population of Madrid Autonomous Community (AC). A descriptive, cross-sectional study where Helicobacter pylori infection is diagnosed by means of the 13C-urea breath test. A total of 618 subjects were studied. Among these, 481 were considered evaluable with a prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection of 60.3%. In this cohort 36.4% were men and 63.6% were women, with a prevalence of 60.6 and 60.1%, respectively, and no relevant differences between both subgroups. The median age of patients was 37.5 years (range 4-82), and a statistically significant linear relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and age (linear chi2 =33.31; p < 0.001) was established -chances of infection increase with age. Prevalence increases with age and peaks at 60 to 69 years (83.3% infected). For 169 subjects (35.1%) education level was unknown, and no relationship between this level and Helicobacter pylori infection was found. The study shows that the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in the healthy population of Madrid AC is high (60.3%), progressively increases with age, and peaks in people in their sixties. The sample showed no differences regarding sex or education level.