Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its relation to pulmonary function tests.
BACKGROUND
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a slowly progressive condition characterized by poorly reversible airflow limitation that is associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lung. It has been shown that there is a seroepidemiological association of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection with many inflammatory conditions.


OBJECTIVE
In this study, we aimed to investigate seroprevalence in Hp patients with COPD and to determine whether there is an association between Hp infection and COPD.


METHODS
Forty-nine voluntary patients with COPD and 50 healthy control subjects of similar age and sex were included in the study. Hp-specific IgG was measured with a commercially available kit from venous blood samples.


RESULTS
Serum levels of Hp-specific IgG and Hp IgG seropositivity were significantly higher in the patients with COPD than in the control subjects (p < 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively). In addition, when the patients with COPD were grouped according to Hp IgG seropositivity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) values were lower in the seropositive patients compared to seronegative patients, and Hp serum IgG levels were correlated with FEV(1) values, which indicate the severity of COPD, in the COPD group (r = -0.306, p = 0.032).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that there is an association between Hp infection and COPD, and Hp IgG levels are correlated with the severity of COPD.
Gencer
Mehmet
M
Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey. mgencer@harran.edu.tr
Ceylan
Erkan
E
Yildiz Zeyrek
Fadile
F
Aksoy
Nurten
N
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D002087:Butyrates; D005260:Female; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010636:Phenols; D011379:Prognosis; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D002087:Butyrates; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010636:Phenols; C487958:elsibucol