Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with decreased serum levels of high density lipoprotein, but not with the severity of coronary atherosclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this survey was to study the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 961 consecutive patients (711 males and 250 females) who underwent coronary angiography for suspected or known coronary atherosclerosis. The patients' body mass index, blood pressure, the blood lipid, blood glucose, leukocyte count (10(9)/L), neutrophil count (10(9)/L), and Helicobacter pylori-specific IgG antibodies were performed. Coronary angiograms were scored according to vessel score and Gensini's score.


RESULTS
A significant association between H. pylori infection and coronary atherosclerosis as well as its severity was not find in this cross section study (p = 0.858). And, the level distribution of vessel score (p = 0.906) and Gensini's score (p = 0.905) were similar in the seropositivity group and seronegativity group of Helicobacter pylori infection. However, the level of fasting high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mmol/L) (p = 0.013) was significantly lower in the seropositivity group than that in the seronegativity group of Helicobacter pylori infection.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, in the present study, a significantly correlation between Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and angiographically evaluated severity of atherosclerosis was not find. And, the present study showed a good correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and decreased HDL cholesterol. However, the exact mechanisms need further study.
Jia
En-Zhi
EZ
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China. enzhijia@yahoo.cn
Zhao
Fu-Jun
FJ
Hao
Bo
B
Zhu
Tie-Bing
TB
Wang
Lian-Sheng
LS
Chen
Bo
B
Cao
Ke-Jiang
KJ
Huang
Jun
J
Ma
Wen-Zhu
WZ
Yang
Zhi-Jian
ZJ
Zhang
Guoxin
G
D000368:Aged; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL