Last update:
16-Oct-2008

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between chronic Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and cerebrovascular ischemic disease, since, recently, many investigators have correlated chronic infection and low grade inflammation with vascular inflammatory response and atherogenesis.

METHOD Evaluation was made in 102 patients (54 female, mean age=75.44±19 years) with transient cerebral ischemia or stroke and 76 sex and age matched controls (39 female, mean age=71.2±17 years) for Hp IgG and CagA Hp antibodies. Inflammation markers implicated in the atherosclerosis procedure (CRP, fibrinogen plasma levels and ESR) were studied. A multivariate regression analysis statistical model was applied to evaluate possible associations with dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking, atrial fibrillation and blood pressure.

RESULTS Patients and control subjects were evenly matched with respect to socioeconomic status, diabetes mellitus, and smoking status (P>0.1, respectively). Hp seropositivity was detected in 54.9% of patients and in 48.68% of control subjects (P=0.439). CagA seropositivity was detected in 12 of 102 patients and in 30 of 76 controls (P<0.05). In the patient group, 47/57 seropositive and 34/45 seronegative subjects had elevated CRP levels (P<0.01). In the control group, 30/37 (81.08%) seropositive and 22/39 (56.41%) seronegative subjects had elevated CRP levels (P<0.03). Forty-four of 57 (77.19%) seropositive and 31 of 45 (68.8%) seronegative patients had elevated fibrinogen levels (P<0.01). Twenty-four of 37 (64.86%) seropositive and 20 of 39 (51.28%) seronegative controls had elevated fibrinogen levels (P<0.03).

CONCLUSIONS Helicobacter pylori infection was not found to be an independent risk factor for ischemic cerebrovascular disease.

Key words: Atherosclerosis, CagA antibodies, Cerebrovascular stroke, Hp infection.