Gastric mucosal precancerous lesions in Helicobacter pylori-infected pediatric patients in central China: A single-center, retrospective investigation

Table 1 Demographic and clinical data of patients

Variables	Total	H. pylori+	H. pylori-	P value
Patients, n	1015	854	161
Age in year, median (IQR)	11 (9-13)	11 (9-13)	9 (6-12)	< 0.001a
Sex, n (%)
Female	411 (40.49)	346 (40.52)	65 (40.37)
Male	604 (59.51)	508 (59.48)	96 (59.63)	0.973
Endoscopic pattern, n (%)
Esophagitis	28 (2.76)	23 (2.69)	5 (3.11)	0.975
Superficial gastritis	331 (32.61)	255 (29.86)	76 (47.20)	< 0.001b
Superficial gastritis with erosion	236 (23.25)	200 (23.42)	36 (22.36)	0.77
Superficial gastritis with bile reflux	295 (29.06)	251 (29.39)	44 (27.33)	0.597
Antral nodularity	135 (13.30)	131 (15.34)	4 (2.48)	< 0.001b
Peptic ulcer	90 (8.87)	80 (9.37)	10 (6.21)	0.196
Atrophic gastritis	18 (1.77)	17 (1.99)	1 (0.62)	0.378
Clinical diagnosis, n (%)
Esophagitis	28 (2.76)	23 (2.69)	5 (3.11)	0.975
Non atrophic gastritis	997 (98.23)	837 (98.01)	160 (99.38)	0.378
Atrophic gastritis	18 (1.77)	17 (1.99)	1 (0.62)	0.378
Gastric ulcer	18 (1.77)	16 (1.87)	2 (1.24)	0.817
Duodenal ulcer	72 (7.09)	64 (7.49)	8 (4.97)	0.252

^aP < 0.05: Median age was compared between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-positive and -negative groups.

^bP < 0.05: When compared between H. pylori–positive and –negative within each disease group.

IQR: Interquartile range; H. pylori: Helicobacter pylori.

Table 2 Helicobacter pylori infection status in different age groups

Age group	Sex, n (male/female)	H. pylori+, n (%)	H. pylori-, n (%)
1-4	54 (29/25)	22 (40.74)	32 (59.26)
5-8	199 (111/88)	156 (78.39)a	43 (21.61)
9-12	435 (286/149)	383 (88.05)a,b	52 (11.95)
13-18	327 (178/149)	293 (89.60)a,b	34 (10.40)
Total	1015 (604/411)	854 (84.14)	161 (15.86)

^aP < 0.05: When Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection rates were compared with the 1-4 years age group.

^bP < 0.05: When H. pylori infection rates were compared with the 5-8 years age group.

H. pylori: Helicobacter pylori.

Table 3 Precancerous lesions in the gastric mucosa in children and adolescents

Age group	H. pylori+				Subtotal	H. pylori-				Subtotal
	n	Atrophy	IM	Dysplasia		n	Atrophy	IM	Dysplasia
1-4	22	1	1	1	3	32	0	0	0	0
5-8	156	4	4	1	9	43	0	0	0	0
9-12	383	6	3	6	15	52	0	0	0	0
13-18	293	6	3	1	10	34	1	0	0	1
Total	854	37 (4.33%)a				161	1 (0.62%)

^aP < 0.05: The incidence of gastric mucosal precancerous lesions was compared between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-positive and H. pylori-negative patients.

IM: Intestinal metaplasia; H. pylori: Helicobacter pylori.

Table 4 Comparison of active inflammation between Helicobacter pylori-positive and -negative patients

Age group	H. pylori+			H. pylori-
	n	Active inflammation	Non-active inflammation	n	Active inflammation	Non-active inflammation
1-4	22	3 (13.64)	19 (86.36)	32	2 (6.25)	30 (93.75)
5-8	156	23 (14.74)a	133 (85.26)	43	1 (2.33)	42 (97.67)
9-12	383	52 (13.58)b	331 (86.42)	52	2 (3.85)	50 (96.15)
13-18	293	59 (20.14)c	234 (79.86)	34	1 (2.94)	33 (97.06)
Total	854	137 (16.04)d	717 (83.96)	161	6 (3.73)	155 (96.27)

^aP < 0.05: Active inflammation in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-positive patients were compared with -negative patients in the 5-8 years age group.

^bP < 0.05: Active inflammation in H. pylori-positive patients was compared with -negative patients in the 9-12 years age group.

^cP < 0.05: Active inflammation in H. pylori-positive patients was compared with -negative patients in the 13-18 years age group.

^dP < 0.05: Active inflammation was compared between the H. pylori-positive and -negative groups.

Data are n (%), unless otherwise indicated. H. pylori: Helicobacter pylori.

Table 5 Degree of neutrophil granulocyte infiltration in Helicobacter pylori-positive and -negative patients

Age group	H. pylori+				H. pylori+				Z	P value
	n	Absent	Mild	Moderate	n	Absent	Mild	Moderate
1-4	22	19 (86.36)	3 (13.64)	0 (0)	32	30 (93.75)	2 (6.25)	0 (0)	0.912	0.362
5-8	156	133 (85.26)	21 (13.46)	2 (1.28)	43	42 (97.67)	1 (2.33)	0 (0)	2.212	0.027a
9-12	383	331 (86.42)	44 (11.49)	8 (2.09)	52	50 (96.15)	2 (3.85)	0 (0)	2.009	0.045b
13-18	293	234 (79.86)	48 (16.38)	11 (3.76)	34	33 (97.06)	1 (2.94)	0 (0)	2.456	0.014c
Total	854	717 (83.96)	116 (13.58)	21 (2.46)	161	155 (96.27)	6 (3.73)	0 (0)	4.319	< 0.001d

^aP < 0.05: Degree of neutrophil granulocyte infiltration in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-positive patients were compared with -negative patients in the 5-8 years age group.

^bP < 0.05: Degree of neutrophil granulocyte infiltration in H. pylori-positive patients was compared with -negative patients in the 9-12 years age group.

^cP < 0.05: Degree of neutrophil granulocyte infiltration in H. pylori-positive patients was compared with -negative patients in the 13-18 years age group.

^dP < 0.05: Degree of neutrophil granulocyte infiltration was compared between H. pylori-positive and -negative groups.

Data are n (%), unless otherwise indicated. H. pylori: Helicobacter pylori.

Table 6 Degree of lymphocyte infiltration in Helicobacter pylori-positive and -negative patients

Age group	H. pylori+				H. pylori-				Z	P value
	n	Mild	Moderate	Marked	n	Mild	Moderate	Marked
1-4	22	10 (45.45)	11 (50)	1 (4.55)	32	17 (53.12)	14 (43.75)	1 ( 3.13)	0.57	0.569
5-8	156	67 (42.95)	75 (48.08)	14 (8.97)	43	24 (55.81)	18 (41.86)	1 (2.33)	1.737	0.082
9-12	383	161 (42.04)	195 (50.91)	27 (7.05)	52	31 (59.62)	20 (38.46)	1 (1.92)	2.539	0.01a
13-18	293	112 (38.23)	151 (51.54)	30 (10.24)	34	19 (55.88)	14 (41.18)	1 (2.94)	2.164	0.03b
Total	854	350 (40.98)	432 (50.59)	72 (8.43)	161	91 (56.52)	66 (40.99)	4 (2.48)	3.997	< 0.00c

^aP < 0.05: Degree of lymphocyte infiltration in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-positive patients were compared with -negative patients in 9-12 years age group.

^bP < 0.05: Degree of lymphocyte infiltration in H. pylori-positive patients were compared with -negative patients in 13-18 years age group.

^cP < 0.05: Degree of lymphocyte infiltration was compared between H. pylori-positive and -negative groups.

Data are n (%), unless otherwise indicated. H. pylori: Helicobacter pylori.