Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome among a Chinese population

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), and to determine any association between H. pylori infection and severity of OSAS.

METHODS: Two hundred and forty-three subjects were recruited in this cross-sectional study at the Department of Respiratory Medicine in the West China Hospital, Sichuan, P. R. China, from October 2006 to April 2008. Polysomnography (PSG) was used to determine the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to test H. pylori IgG. According to the AHI, subjects were divided into 4 groups: the control group (AHI <5/hours), patients with mild OSAS group (AHI: 5-14/hours), moderate OSAS group (AHI: 15-29/hours), and severe OSAS group (AHI: >/=30/hours).

RESULTS: The prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with OSAS was 75.5%, and in the controls it was 53.4% (p=0.000). The prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with mild OSAS was 57.1%, with moderate OSAS was 76.5%, and with severe OSAS was 90.9%. There were significant differences between patients with moderate and severe OSAS and the controls, as well as among the mild, moderate, and severe OSAS groups.

CONCLUSION: Helicobacter pylori infection may be associated with OSAS. In addition, increased severity of OSAS might be associated with higher seroprevalence of H. pylori.