title: Endothelial dysfunction is reversible in Helicobacter pylori-positive subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have shown an association between Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and atherosclerosis. Although epidemiological studies have suggested an association between HP infection and atherosclerosis, the issue is still controversial. It is not clear whether HP eradication will reverse endothelial damage and prevent cardiovascular events.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one dyspeptic subjects (16 men, 15 women; 50.8 ± 16.7 years) were diagnosed as HP positive using histopathological evaluation. Eleven dyspeptic subjects (5 men, 6 women; 55.4 ± 9.3 years) were negative to HP (controls). Interleukin-6 level and vascular measurements (ankle brachial index and flow-mediated diameter percent change) were done twice: on entry and 3 months afterwards. HP-positive subjects were treated with the triple therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one HP-positive subjects (50.8 ± 16.7 years, 16 men, weight 79.6 ± 14.8 kg, height 1.70 ± 0.1 m, body mass index [BMI] 27.5 ± 4.4, waist circumference 97.6 ± 16.7 cm) were treated accordingly. There were 11 HP-negative subjects (controls) (55.4 ± 9.3 years, 5 men, weight 83.4 ± 16.8 kg, height 1.68 ± 0.1 m, BMI 29.6 ± 6.1, waist circumference 104.4 ± 13.7 cm). No difference in age (P=.27), weight (P=.51), height (P=.50), BMI (P=.30), or waist circumference (P=.20) was observed. HP-positive subjects had severe endothelial dysfunction (-1.26 ± 8.4%) that improved after treatment (8.4 ± 9.0%) (P=.001). HP-negative subjects had endothelial dysfunction (1.9 ± 9.7%) that was not improved (5.6 ± 8.3%) (P=.41). Interleukin-6 levels in serum were not elevated in HP-positive subjects before or after HP eradication (8.4 ± 17.5 vs 13.5 ± 30.7 pg/mL; P=.45).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The novel finding of our study was that HP eradication can improve endothelial dysfunction.
authors: Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Research Institute, University of Miami, FL 33136, USA. ABlum@med.miami.edu
authors: Arnon
authors: A
authors: Blum
authors: Snait
authors: S
authors: Tamir
authors: Keren
authors: K
authors: Mualem
authors: Rotem Shelly
authors: RS
authors: Ben-Shushan
authors: Lital
authors: L
authors: Keinan-Boker
authors: Maya
authors: M
authors: Paritsky
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6