Helicobacter pylori infection and endocrine disorders: is there a link?
Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection is a leading world-wide infectious disease as it affects more than half of the world population and causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastric malignancies. The infection elicits a chronic cellular inflammatory response in the gastric mucosa. However, the effects of this local inflammation may not be confined solely to the digestive tract but may spread to involve extra-intestinal tissues and/or organs. Indeed, H pylori infection has been epidemiologically linked to extra-digestive conditions and diseases. In this context, it has been speculated that H pylori infection may be responsible for various endocrine disorders, such as autoimmune thyroid diseases, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity, osteoporosis and primary hyperparathyroidism. This is a review of the relationship between H pylori infection and these endocrine disorders.
Papamichael
Konstantinos X
KX
First Department of Gastroenterology, Evaggelismos Hospital, Kolonaki-1, Athens, Greece. kpapamdoc@yahoo.gr
Papaioannou
Garyphallia
G
Karga
Helen
H
Roussos
Anastasios
A
Mantzaris
Gerassimos J
GJ
D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology