Abstract

Background: The clinical significance of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) remains uncertain, particularly regarding short-term outcomes beyond rebleeding. Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of consecutive adults admitted with acute NVUGIB to Hatyai Hospital, Thailand, between January 2016 and December 2020. H. pylori status was determined during the index hospitalization using rapid urease testing and/or histopathologic examination of gastric biopsy specimens obtained during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital mortality, rebleeding, requirement of packed red blood cell transfusion, and length of hospital stay. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to adjust for potential confounders. Results: Among 933 patients, 289 (31.0%) were H. pylori-positive and 644 (69.0%) were H. pylori-negative. The H. pylori-positive group was younger, predominantly male, and had lower rates of cirrhosis and prior proton pump inhibitor use. They also more often had peptic ulcer bleeding and underwent earlier endoscopy. H. pylori positivity was independently associated with lower 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio 0.39, 95% confidence interval 0.18–0.84), but not with rebleeding, requirement of transfusion, or length of stay. Conclusions: H. pylori positivity was associated with lower short-term mortality in acute NVUGIB, although this finding may reflect baseline clinical differences rather than a direct effect on bleeding severity.

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