Relationship between blood groups, iron deficiency anemia, and Helicobacter pylori in children

Background Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) is a critical global health issue influenced by host and environmental factors. Inadequate iron intake, chronic blood loss, and impaired iron absorption are among the primary causes of IDA. Patients and methods A cross-sectional study was performed on 101 pediatric patients with confirmed Helicobacter pylori infection at the Clinical Pathology Department, Assiut University Hospitals. Aim To detect the relationship between blood groups, IDA, and H. pylori in children. Results There was a statistically significantly higher mean age among patients with anemia compared with nonanemic patients (10.76 ± 3.46 vs. 8.99 ± 3.15 years, P =0.010). However, there was no significant difference regarding sex or anthropometric measures ( P >0.05). While there was no significant association between anemia and blood group or Rh factor, anemic children had significantly higher total iron-binding capacity levels, indicating altered iron metabolism. Serum ferritin showed a mild but significant positive correlation with hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and serum iron, but not with C-reactive protein. Conclusion This study found that children with H. pylori infection had a high prevalence of anemia (40.6%). The findings suggest a potential link between H. pylori infection and iron deficiency in children, highlighting the importance of monitoring iron status in affected patients.