Helicobacter pylori infection and fasting plasma glucose concentration.
BACKGROUND
Helicobacter pylori infection raises basal and meal stimulated serum gastrin concentrations and lowers iron stores, which may in turn reduce fasting plasma glucose concentrations in the population.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether H pylori infection leads to lower fasting plasma glucose concentrations in the population.


METHODS
One hundred and seventy three women and 165 men, randomly selected from the electoral rolls of an Australian city, participated in a cardiovascular risk factor survey. Plasma glucose concentrations and H pylori IgG antibody titres were measured. Non-fasting subjects and pregnant women were excluded, as were known diabetics, whose plasma glucose concentrations would be affected by diet and/or medications. Fasting plasma glucose concentrations were logarithmically transformed and the relation with H pylori infection, adjusting for age and other confounding factors, was determined for men and women separately by analyses of variance.


RESULTS
Helicobacter pylori infection was significantly associated with fasting plasma glucose concentration among women. Infected women had a lower mean fasting plasma glucose concentration (5.2 mmol/litre; range, 3.9-8.2) than did non-infected women (5.4 mmol/litre; range, 3.9-11.1).


CONCLUSIONS
Helicobacter pylori infection may lead to lower fasting plasma glucose concentrations among women and should be considered when interpreting concentrations bordering on diabetes.
Peach
H G
HG
The University of Melbourne, Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital, PO Box 577, Ballarat Vic 3353, Australia.
Barnett
N E
NE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D001786:Blood Glucose