HIGH PREVALENCE OF VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY IN HELICOBACTER PYLORI-POSITIVE DYSPEPTIC PATIENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY FROM A LOW-INCOME SETTING

Abstract

This cross-sectional study investigated the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and vitamin B12 deficiency in 273 dyspeptic patients undergoing endoscopy at a tertiary care center. Using gastric biopsy and serum B12 analysis, we found 61.17% H. pylori positivity, with 70.6% of infected patients showing B12 deficiency versus 29.5% in uninfected controls (p<0.05). Lower socioeconomic status significantly correlated with higher deficiency rates (30% vs 3.6% in high-income groups, p=0.045). The findings suggest H. pylori infection substantially increases B12 malabsorption risk, particularly in resource-limited settings. We recommend routine B12 screening for H. pylori-positive dyspeptic patients and propose combined nutritional and antimicrobial strategies in high-prevalence regions to prevent deficiency-related complications.