title: Helicobacter species in the atherosclerotic plaques of patients with coronary artery disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several epidemiological studies have proposed an association between Helicobacter pylori infection and coronary artery disease. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence and relevance of H. pylori infection, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods, in the coronary arterial wall of Iranian patients who have already undergone coronary bypass grafting (CABG).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 105 consecutive patients who underwent CABG at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences were included in the study, and biopsy specimens from their coronary plaques were taken and analyzed using the PCR methods for detecting Helicobacter species (H Spp.). Fifty-three specimens from biopsies of the left internal mamillary artery in the same patients were also collected and tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  H. Spp. PCR test result was positive for 31 (29.5%) specimens from coronary artery atherosclerotic plaques. Serologic test results also showed 25 (23.8%) positive cases for H. pylrori immunoglobulin A (IgA) and 56 (53.3%) positive for anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G. None of the specimens from the mamillary artery were positive for H Spp. genome when it was evaluated using PCR (P<.0001). Patients with positive test result for H. pylori IgA were significantly more likely to have higher total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels than IgA-negative patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  H Spp. infection replication in the coronary arterial wall is associated with atherosclerotic plaque formation. Seropositivity for H. pylori IgA may also enhance blood values of total cholesterol and LDL in these patients.
authors: Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Morteza
authors: M
authors: Izadi
authors: Mojgan
authors: M
authors: Fazel
authors: Seyed Hossein
authors: SH
authors: Sharubandi
authors: Seyed Hassan
authors: SH
authors: Saadat
authors: Maryam Moshkani
authors: MM
authors: Farahani
authors: Mohammad Hassan
authors: MH
authors: Nasseri
authors: Hossein
authors: H
authors: Dabiri
authors: Reza
authors: R
authors: SafiAryan
authors: Ali Akbar
authors: AA
authors: Esfahani
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Ahmadi
authors: Nematollah
authors: N
authors: Jonaidi Jafari
authors: Reza
authors: R
authors: Ranjbar
authors: Saeed-Reza
authors: SR
authors: Jamali-Moghaddam
authors: Davood
authors: D
authors: Kazemi-Saleh
authors: Mohammad Hassan
authors: MH
authors: Kalantar-Motamed
authors: Saeed
authors: S
authors: Taheri
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies