The association of pagophagia with Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with iron-deficiency anemia

This study aimed to determine the relationship between pagophagia (compulsive ice eating) and H.pylori infection in patients with iron-deficiency anemia. We identified H.pylori infection using the 13C-urea breath test in 45 patients with iron-deficiency anemia (group 1) and 55 patients with iron-deficiency anemia and pagophagia (group 2). Subgroups for testing oral intestinal iron absorption were randomly assigned from both groups. These subgroups consisted of (a) 10 patients with iron-deficiency anemia, (b) 10 patients with iron-deficiency anemia and pagophagia, (c) 10 patients with iron-deficiency anemia, pagophagia, and H.pylori infection before the eradication of H.pylori and (d) subgroup c after eradication therapy. There was no difference in the rate of H.pylori infection in the iron-deficiency anemia groups, with or without pagophagia. Furthermore, oral intestinal iron absorption was not influenced by pagophagia and/or H.pylori infection. Pagophagia did not increase the risk of H.pylori infection in patients with iron-deficiency anemia. Pagophagia and H.pylori infection do not synergistically affect the development of intestinal iron absorption abnormalities.