Sex-Specific Differences in Dyspeptic Symptoms in Children Are Attenuated by Helicobacter pylori Seropositivity.

PURPOSE: Age- and sex-related differences are important but often underestimated factors in pediatric gastrointestinal disorders. When consistently observed and statistically confirmed, these differences may reflect underlying differences in disease pathophysiology and warrant further clinical attention. This study aimed to investigate age- and sex-related differences in the presentation of dyspeptic symptoms among children with and without serological evidence of Helicobacter pylori infection.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed clinical data from 213 pediatric patients aged 6-18 years who presented with dyspeptic symptoms. A subgroup of 65 patients tested positive for H. pylori. Symptom patterns were compared by sex and infection status.

RESULTS

H. pylori infection was significantly more common among male patients (p<0.05). In the overall cohort, abdominal pain was reported more frequently by males, whereas nausea was more common among females (p<0.01). However, symptom distribution did not differ significantly by sex in the H. pylori-seropositive subgroup.

CONCLUSION

Sex-specific differences in the reporting of nausea and abdominal pain in pediatric dyspepsia were present among H. pylori-seronegative children but absent among seropositive children, suggesting that H. pylori-associated gastric inflammation overrides sex-related differences in symptom perception.