Elevated ¹³C urea breath test values females infected with Helicobacter pylori

¹³C-urea breath test (UBT) for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori requires a high density and active bacteria and has the potential to provide a noninvasive index of bacterial growth. We describe the gender differences in δ over baseline ¹³C-UBT values in 7373 patients (4531 females and 2842 males) who underwent ¹³C-UBT test for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. A significantly (P<.001) higher mean ± SD excess delta ¹³CO₂ excretion was recorded in females (24.7±17.4) compared to males (17.6±11.8) aged 10-80 years. The age-adjusted difference between sexes was 7.1 (95% confidence interval, 6.4-7.9). Our analysis demonstrates quantitatively for the first time gender associated differences in H. pylori host interaction. This study suggests that infected females have a higher bacterial load and therefore may potentially infect their children at a higher degree than males.