title: Hyperhomocysteinaemia, Helicobacter pylori, and coronary heart disease.
abstract: Hyperhomocysteinaemia and Helicobacter pylori infection have recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. These two risk factors, though they seem unrelated, could be linked by a deficiency of vitamins and folate caused by chronic gastritis in H pylori infection. This nutritional defect could lead to failure of methylation by 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolic acid and thus exacerbate the accumulation of homocysteine in susceptible patients. Homocysteine is toxic to endothelial cells and results in coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Sanderson
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D009752:Nutritional Status; D014804:Vitamin B Deficiency / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine