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Cardiovascular risk factors in subjects with Helicobacter pylori infection
Toshiharu Takashima1, Kyoichi Adachi, Akira Kawamura
1Department of Internal Medicine II, Shimane Medical University, Izumo, Japan.
Insights
Helicobacter pylori infection is linked to lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), a key cardiovascular risk factor. This long-term H. pylori infection may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are extensively studied.
- The potential link between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and CVD remains under-investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between H. pylori infection and cardiovascular risk factors.
- To determine if H. pylori seropositivity correlates with altered lipid profiles or other CVD indicators.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 1,650 individuals undergoing medical checks were assessed for H. pylori serostatus.
- Key cardiovascular risk factors including lipid profiles (HDLC, triglycerides, total cholesterol), blood pressure, BMI, glucose, and leukocyte count were compared between seropositive and seronegative groups.
Main Results:
- H. pylori seropositive individuals exhibited significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) levels compared to seronegative individuals (56.1 vs. 58.2 mg/dl, p <.005) after adjusting for confounders.
- Elderly individuals (over 50) with H. pylori infection showed a higher prevalence of low HDLC (< 35 mg/dl) (7.4% vs. 4.7%, p <.001).
- Lower HDLC levels in H. pylori-infected individuals were associated with increased leukocyte counts.
Conclusions:
- Long-term Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with decreased serum HDLC concentrations.
- This reduction in HDLC may represent a mechanism linking H. pylori infection to increased cardiovascular disease risk.
Background:
It has been proposed that Helicobacter pylori infection is related to cardiovascular disease, although this has not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether H. pylori infection is associated with cardiovascular risk factors.
Subjects And Methods:
One thousand six hundred and fifty people undergoing annual medical checks at Shimane Institute of Health Science between September 1998 and August 1999 were enrolled. Gender, age, body mass index, habitual smoking and drinking, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum level of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), blood glucose, leukocyte count and hemoglobin were compared between H. pylori seropositive and seronegative cases.
Results:
In H. pylori seropositive individuals, HDLC was significantly lower than that in seronegative individuals. After adjustment for possible confounding factors (gender, age, BMI, smoking and drinking habits), mean HDLC in H. pylori-seropositive and seronegative individuals were 56.1 and 58.2 mg/dl, respectively (p <.005). The percentage of the elderly (over 50 years old) individuals with HDLC < 35 mg/dl in H. pylori seropositive and seronegative groups were 7.4% and 4.7%, respectively (p <.001). In addition, the lower HDLC level was accompanied by an increased leukocyte count.
Conclusion:
Long-term infection with H. pylori may have an important role in decreasing the serum HDLC concentration.