Helicobacter pylori infection and vascular diseases

Helicobacter pylori infection has recently been associated to some organic functional vascular disorders and, both observational and interventional studies have been carried out. A correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and ischaemic heart disease was first described in 1994. Recent data, moreover, indicate a role of the bacterium in some functional vascular disorders such as primary headache and primary Raynaud phenomenon; indeed, some patients following eradication of Helicobacter pylori showed a significant improvement in the manifestations of these diseases. The host immune response against the bacterium may play an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular disorders, probably through a chronic stimulation of the release of vasoactive substances, such as cytokines, prostaglandins and others. However, various confounding factors such as co-infections, genetic and immunological host-factors, different strains of Helicobacter pylori or other may influence the data. Well designed case/control and randomized interventional studies are still needed to assess the real role of Helicobacter pylori in vascular disorders.