Helicobacter pylori infection in elderly Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes

The relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and diabetes is unclear, especially in elderly people. The aims of this study were to determine the possible relationship between H. pylori infection and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in elderly subjects. In total, 238 T2DM patients (83.66 ± 3.10 years) and 704 non-diabetic patients (83.29 ± 3.17 years) were included. We measured the glycated hemoglobin level, lipid profile, presence of H. pylori using the urea breath test, and fasting serum insulin level. The H. pylori infection rate was 45.0 and 39.6 % in T2DM patients and control, respectively. The results were statistically insignificant. In the logistic regression analysis of 238 T2DM patients (including age, sex, diabetes, body mass index, the duration of diabetes, and the levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, hemoglobin A1C, and insulin), no factors selected were associated with H. pylori infection. The H. pylori infection rate may not be increased in elderly Chinese T2DM patients. However, further studies are needed to confirm our conclusion.