Follow-up care after a diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in an Asian immigrant cohort

Goal: To study the rate at which Helicobacter pylori infection is treated in an immigrant cohort after diagnosis by esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Background: Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and is especially prevalent in East Asia; immigrants from this part of the world remain at higher risk. Infection with H. pylori is a known risk factor for gastric cancer. There have been no studies of completion of H. pylori treatment in immigrant populations. Study: Prospective cohort study of East Asian immigrants diagnosed with H. pylori infection who underwent EGD in a gastric cancer screening protocol. Our primary outcome was self-report or chart evidence of completion of treatment of H. pylori. Results: Sixty-eight of the 126 participants (54%) tested positive for H. pylori infection on EGD. Forty-nine (72%) were seen for a follow-up visit at one of the clinics involved in the study. According to clinic records, 39 of these 49 participants (57% of all H. pylori-positive participants) were prescribed treatment. Only 31 participants (46%) completed treatment. Of possible explanatory factors, only having a "regular doctor" was significantly associated with treatment completion (odds ratio = 5.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-25.0). Conclusions: in a sample of Asian immigrants, the rate of treatment of H. pylori infection, a potentially modifiable risk factor, was lower than expected. Having a "regular doctor" appeared to increase the likelihood of receiving appropriate follow-up care.