title: Association between Helicobacter pylori cytotoxic type I CagA-positive strains and migraine with aura.
abstract: Recent studies have suggested an association between Helicobacter pylori infection and migraine. However, various strains of the bacterium are present, some endowed with greater pathogenicity. In particular, H. pylori type I CagA-positive strains induce a higher release of proinflammatory substances by the gastric mucosa that could trigger systemic vasospasms. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of H. pylori CagA-positive strains in subjects with migraine. One hundred and seventy-five patients affected by migraine (49 with aura, 126 without aura) were consecutively enrolled and matched for sex, age, social background and geographical origin with 152 controls. Helicobacter pylori infection was assessed through 13C-urea breath test. Specific serological IgG against CagA were detected through ELISA. The prevalence of H. pylori infection was similar in migraine patients and in controls (40% vs. 39%, respectively). Among migraine patients, prevalence of infection was not related to presence or absence of aura (45% vs. 37%, respectively). However, among infected subjects, a significantly higher prevalence of CagA-positive strains was observed in patients affected by migraine with aura when compared with those affected by migraine without aura (41% vs. 19%, P < 0.01) and with controls (41% vs. 17%, P < 0.01). CagA-positive H. pylori strains were found to be strongly associated with migraine with aura. A higher inflammatory response of the gastric mucosa to more virulent strains could release substances that may act as triggers of vasospasm in peculiar cerebral arterial districts, probably implicated in the 'aura' phenomenon.
authors.affiliation: Angiology Department, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. angiologia@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gabrielli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Candelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bartolozzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cremonini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Campli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Armuzzi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ojetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serricchio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pola
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giacovazzo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D005756:Gastritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020325:Migraine with Aura / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000209:etiology; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori