Effect of serum vitamin D levels on Helicobacter pylori infection: a Retrospective Study with Real-World Data

Abstract

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to determine whether serum vitamin D levels are associated with H. pylori infection and whether low serum vitamin D levels are an independent risk factor for H. pylori infection. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of a multicenter cohort study from 2017 to 2019. A total of 415 H. pylori + patients and 257 H. pylori- patients aged between 18 and 75 years with both 13C-urea breath test and serum vitamin D level results were included from four hospitals. A questionnaire was used to collect information on potential factors influencing H. pylori infection. Results Serum vitamin D levels were significantly lower in the H. pylori + group than in the H. pylori- group (16.7 ± 6.6 ng/ml vs 19.2 ± 8.0 ng/ml, p < 0.05). Using a cutoff value of 20 ng/ml, the H. pylori infection rate was significantly higher in the vitamin D-deficient group (< 20 ng/ml) than in the vitamin D-sufficient group (≥ 20 ng/ml) (66.5% vs 51.0%, p < 0.05). Ordered logistic regression analysis showed that serum vitamin D levels < 20 ng/ml (OR: 1.644, 95% CI: 1.154–2.342), higher education levels (OR: 1.774, 95% CI: 1.483–2.119), household size ≥ 4 (OR: 1.516, 95% CI: 1.081–2.123), and lower household income (OR: 1.508, 95% CI: 1.289–1.766) were independent risk factors for H. pylori infection. Conclusion Lower serum vitamin D levels may be associated with an increased risk of H. pylori infection, and lower serum vitamin D levels are an independent risk factor for increasing H. pylori infection rates. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether supplementation with vitamin D can reduce H. pylori infection rates.