Hookah Smoking and Risk of Helicobacter pylori Infection: Insights From a Case‐Control Study in Iran

ABSTRACT Background and Aims There is contradictory research evidence for the relationship between hookah smoking and Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori ) infection. The increasing popularity of hookah smoking and its effects on health has become a significant concern. This study aimed to explore the effect of hookah smoking on the risk of H. pylori infection in Bandar Abbas, Iran. Methods The current case‐control study was conducted on 320 participants over 15 years of age (160 patients and 160 controls) between October 2023 and January 2024. The case group was found with a positive H. pylori test, and the control group with a negative test result. Then the status of hookah smoking and other variables was compared between these two groups. For data collection, a multi‐section researcher‐made checklist was used to explore demographic information, tobacco consumption, and physical examinations. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were run to determine the risk factors. Results The mean ± SD of the case and control age groups were 38.18 ± 13.39, 35.70 ± 13.30, respectively. The results showed no statistically significant relationship between hookah smoking and the prevalence of H. pylori infection among the participants (OR: 1.49, p value: 0.170). Participants younger than 18 had 55% lower chances of the H. pylori (OR: 0.45, p value: 0.015). Compared to the single, the married had 72% lower chances of H. pylori infection (OR: 0.28, p value: 0.001). Those with a university degree had 61% lower chances of transmitting H. pylori than the illiterate or those with primary education (OR: 0.40, p value: 0.044). Conclusions The present findings provide significant insights into the relationship between hookah smoking and H. pylori infection. As the findings showed, hookah smoking may not be a contributing factor in getting H. pylori infection. The results point to the complexity of factors influencing H. pylori incidence.