title: The relationship between updated Sydney System score and LDL cholesterol levels in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) chronically infects the human stomach and may cause extra-gastrointestinal diseases. The role of H. pylori in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and its effect on lipids remains controversial. The aim of this study was to examine lipid levels in patients with and without H. pylori infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 244 consecutive patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy were included in this study. Patients receiving statin and fibrate therapy and diabetic patients were excluded. Biopsies from each individual were taken and analyzed for H. pylori detection using ultrastructural methods. Patients were divided into two groups: H. pylori (+) (group 1) and H. pylori (-) (group 2). Total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglyceride levels were measured in all subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 163 patients were included in group 1 and 81 patients were included in group 2. Frequency of H. pylori was 67% in the study population. Total cholesterol (204 +/- 39 mg/dl versus 189 +/- 42 mg/dl, respectively; P = 0.007) and LDL-C (128 +/- 30 mg/dl versus 116 +/- 32 mg/dl, respectively; P = 0.003) were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2. Updated Sydney classification score showed a positive correlation with LDL-C (r = 0.333, P < 0.001) and TC (r = 0.288, P < 0.001) levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased levels of TC and LDL-C were found in patients infected with H. pylori, and updated Sydney System score showed a positive correlation with LDL-C and TC levels. These findings may explain why H. pylori infection is associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kecioren Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kucukazman
authors.forename: Bunyamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yavuz
authors.forename: Muhammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sacikara
authors.forename: Zeliha
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Asilturk
authors.forename: Naim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ata
authors.forename: Derun Taner
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Ertugrul
authors.forename: Ahmet Arif
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Yalcin
authors.forename: Ezgi Coskun
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Yenigun
authors.forename: Guler
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kizilca
authors.forename: Heyecan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okten
authors.forename: Kadir Okhan
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Akin
authors.forename: Yasar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nazligul
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL