title: Central serous chorioretinopathy and Helicobacter pylori.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective observational case series. A group of 23 patients (22 men and 1 woman, age range 34-62 years, median age 47 years) with diagnosis of CSC, confirmed by fluorescein angiogram, and a control group of 23 consecutive patients (22 men and 1 woman, age range 41-69 years, median age 50 years) referred to our Department for retinal disease other than CSC were studied. Each patient provided peripheral venous blood samples and a stool specimen, which were analyzed at the Department of Gastroenterology and Microbiology at the same university. H. pylori infection was determined by measurement of IgG anti-bodies to H. pylori and by determination of H. pylori antigens in the stool specimens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Patients were defined as H. pylori infected if both tests were positive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 78.2% (95% CI, 56%-92%) in CSC patients and 43.5% (95% CI, 23%-65%) in control subjects (p<0.03 by two-tail ed Fisher exact test). The odds ratio for CSC associated with H. pylori infection was 4.6 (95% CI 1.28-16.9).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study show that the prevalence of H. pylori infection seems to be significantly higher in patients with CSC than in control s. H. pylori infection may represent a risk factor in patients with CSC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, II University of Napoli, Napoli, Italy. luigi.cotticelli@unina2.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cotticelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borrelli
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: D'Alessio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Menzione
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piccolo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montella
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Iovene
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G