RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in the healthy population of Madrid Autonomous Community (AC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study where Helicobacter pylori infection is diagnosed by means of the 13C-urea breath test. RESULTS: A total of 618 subjects were studied. Among these, 481 were considered evaluable with a prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection of 60.3%. In this cohort 36.4% were men and 63.6% were women, with a prevalence of 60.6 and 60.1%, respectively, and no relevant differences between both subgroups. The median age of patients was 37.5 years (range 4-82), and a statistically significant linear relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and age (linear chi2 =33.31; p < 0.001) was established -chances of infection increase with age. Prevalence increases with age and peaks at 60 to 69 years (83.3% infected). For 169 subjects (35.1%) education level was unknown, and no relationship between this level and Helicobacter pylori infection was found. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in the healthy population of Madrid AC is high (60.3%), progressively increases with age, and peaks in people in their sixties. The sample showed no differences regarding sex or education level.