Prevalence and Clinical Implications of Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Dyspepsia Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection among patients presenting with dyspepsia and to describe their demographic and clinical characteristics. Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional studyPlace and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the outpatient department of Saidu Teaching Hospital from October 9, 2021, to April 9, 2022. Methods: A total of 179 consecutive patients with dyspeptic symptoms were enrolled using non-probability consecutive sampling. Demographic data, socioeconomic status, comorbidities, smoking history, and anthropometric measurements were recorded. Results: The mean age of participants was 34.1 ± 8.9 years. Males constituted 64.2%, while females accounted for 35.8%. Most patients (62%) resided in urban areas. Smoking was reported in 17.3%, and 34.1% belonged to low socioeconomic status. Diabetes mellitus was present in 22.9% of cases. The mean body mass index was 25.9 ± 3.8 kg/m2, with 15.1% classified as obese. H. pylori infection was detected in 49.7% of patients. Conclusion: Nearly half of dyspeptic patients were infected with H. pylori, indicating a substantial disease burden in this population.