Association of Helicobacter Pylori Infection with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease among Adults: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53350/pjmhs02026206.2Keywords:
Helicobacter pylori; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; NAFLD; hepatic steatosis; cross-sectional study; metabolic syndrome.Abstract
Background: There has been some recent evidence to indicate that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been shown to play a role in NAFLD pathogenesis as it causes inflammatory and metabolic effects, although this association is debated. To recount the relation between the H. pylori infection and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease on adult patients in a teaching hospital, in the tertiary sector.
Methods: This cross-sectional research was done at a hospital department- Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine department- in Arif Memorial Teaching Hospital, Lahore Pakistan. Consecutive sampling was used to enroll 165 adult patients. Diagnosis of active H. pylori infection was done with the help of a stool antigen test, and NAFLD was identified with the help of abdominal ultrasonography (exclusions of significant amounts of alcohol consumption and other reasons of chronic liver disease). A structured proforma was used to collect demographic, anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical information data.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 44.5 ± 11.6 years, and 89 (53.9%) were female. Patients with active H. pylori infection were 92 (55.8) and the ultrasonographic presence of NAFLD was found in 74 (44.8) patients. H. pylori infection was more prevalent in patients with NAFLD compared to those without NAFLD (68.9% vs 45.1; p=0.002). Also significantly correlated (p<0.05) with NAFLD were old age, overweight or obesity, bigger waist circumference, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, increased triglycerides levels, and higher levels of alanine aminotransferase. Moderate-to-severe (p=0.011) hepatic steatosis was found much more frequently in patients with H. pylori infection. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, H. pylori infection was found to be an independent predictor of NAFLD (adjusted OR=2.14, 95% CI: 1.084.21; p=0.028) which is accompanied with body mass index, diabetes mellitus, hypertriglyceridemia, and advancing age.
Conclusion: Active H. pylori infection was found to be correlated with NAFLD presence with established metabolic risk factors being adjusted. Moreover, hepatic steatosis was worse in patients who were H. pylori-positive. These results indicate that inflammatory and metabolic mechanisms might be involved in NAFLD pathogenesis by virtue of infection with H. pylori. To determine causality and whether H. pylori eradication can decrease the risk or progression of NAFLD, large prospective cohort studies and randomized clinical trials are required.
Keywords: Helicobacter pylori; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; NAFLD; hepatic steatosis; cross-sectional study; metabolic syndrome.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Amjad Farooq, Muhammad Osama Riaz, Syed Muhammad Azeem, Muhammad Fahad Shahid, Usama Javed, Istehsan Ahmed
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