Involvement of Helicobacter pylori infection and impaired glucose metabolism in the increase of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity.
BACKGROUND
The role of Helicobacter pylori in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis remains controversial. The present study was designed to elucidate the pathogenic role of H. pylori in the early stages of atherosclerosis by measurement of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in relation to glucose metabolism.


METHODS
baPWV level, anti-H. pylori antibody, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and other conventional risk factors for cardiovascular diseases were measured in 947 subjects who attended their annual medical check-up.


RESULTS
Multiple regression analyses indicated that age, gender (male), body mass index, FBG, systolic blood pressure, and smoking habits were each independently related to baPWV values. In younger subjects (30-49 years), H. pylori seropositivity was significantly correlated with an increase of baPWV levels (r = 0.100, p = .0445). baPWV values in the H. pylori-positive subjects with impaired glucose metabolism (IG: FBG >or= 110 mg/dL and/or HbA1c >or= 5.9%) were significantly greater than those in the H. pylori-negative subjects with IG (p = .0078). Furthermore, H. pylori-positive subjects with IG were at higher risk for increase of baPWV, in younger (r = 0.203, p < .0001) as well as in older subjects (50-69 years, r = 0.099, p = .0009).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that H. pylori seropositivity is a potential risk factor for increased baPWV levels, and that H. pylori infection accelerates the effect of IG on an increase of baPWV, especially in younger subjects. Thus, the possible interaction between H. pylori infection and IG may contribute to the early development of atherosclerosis.
Yoshikawa
Hiroyuki
H
Seirei Social Welfare Community, Seirei Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Sumiyoshi, Hamammatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. kob_hiro@mac.com
Aida
Kayo
K
Mori
Atsuyoshi
A
Muto
Shigeki
S
Fukuda
Takanori
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011674:Pulse; D012307:Risk Factors
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001786:Blood Glucose