O-44 Sociodemographic Characteristics, Prevalence and Clinical Outcomes of H. Pylori Infection Among Patients Undergoing Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy at the University Hospital of the West Indies

Methods: Cross-sectional study of patients (= 18 years old), who underwent EGD and histological evaluation for H. pylori infection. Significant associations between H. pylori positivity and exposure-related variables in bivariate analysis (p < 0.25 criterion) informed multivariable logistic regression models for association with H. pylori positive status and gastric cancer. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for H. pylori positivity, gastric cancer status and sociodemographic/clinical variables and endoscopic findings.

Results: The sample included 323 participants (mean age 58.6 ± 17.8 years, 54.2% females). H. pylori prevalence was 21.7% (n = 70 of 315), 5.6% had gastric neoplasia (GN), 15.5% gastric atrophy, 3.7% dysplasia on histology. Mucositis (64.5%), gastric ulcer (14.9%) and duodenal ulcer (13.9%) were the most common endoscopic findings. Participants who were H. pylori positive had significantly higher odds of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) (unOR = 4.0; p = 0.017), gastric cancer (unOR = 9.5; p = 0.003) and gastric atrophy (unOR = 12.8; p =< 0.001) but after multivariable analyses only gastric atrophy remained significant. Participants with gastric cancer had significantly lower odds of mucositis (unOR 0.1; p = 0.035) and significantly higher odds of dysplasia (unOR 8.0; p = 0.042) but these were no longer significant after multivariable analyses (aOR = 0.2; p = 0.156 and aOR = 18.9; p = 0.070 respectively).

Conclusion: H. pylori prevalence is lower than previously reported in Jamaica. Gastric atrophy is a significant predictor of H. pylori positivity.