Abstract

This study examined patients with gastrointestinal disorders to evaluate the prevalence of reflux esophagitis and its association with H. pylori infection. The primary objective was to determine whether H. pylori infection contributes to the development of reflux esophagitis. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 660 patients who underwent upper endoscopy at Adiyaman University Training and Research Hospital between January and August 2020. Patients were stratified into H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative groups. Clinical parameters evaluated included the presence and severity of reflux esophagitis, demographic characteristics, risk factors, and associated complications. Sample size calculation was performed using G*Power 3.1 software (α=0.05, power=0.80). Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) usage patterns were categorized as never used, irregular use, or regular use, while body mass index (BMI) was classified as normal (30 kg/m²). The mean age of the study population was 45.4±16.4 years, with 52.6% being male. The overall prevalence of reflux esophagitis was 12.7%. H. pylori infection was detected in 63% of patients. The prevalence of reflux esophagitis was 11.3% in H. pylori-positive patients compared to 15.2% in H. pylori-negative patients (p=0.150). Hiatal hernia (OR: 3.2), obesity (OR: 2.8), and smoking (OR: 1.9) emerged as the most significant risk factors. Regarding PPI usage patterns, reflux esophagitis was observed in 10.3% of non-users, 13.9% of irregular users, and 18.7% of regular users (p=0.015). Although the prevalence of reflux esophagitis was lower in H. pylori-positive patients, the difference did not reach statistical significance. This finding may be attributed to the study's relatively low statistical power (0.52). Hiatal hernia and obesity were identified as the most significant risk factors for reflux esophagitis development.

Key words: Helicobacter pylori, reflux esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, endoscopy