title: Helicobacter pylori infection in Neuromyelitis Optica and Multiple Sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the Helicobacter pylori infection status in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum.
  
  
  METHODS
  H. pylori infection was certified by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody was detected by cell-based assay. H. pylori seroprevalence was measured in 118 patients with NMO (n = 52), high-risk NMO (hrNMO, longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis, n = 17 and recurrent optic neuritis, n = 7), MS (n = 42) and healthy controls (n = 27). Logistic regression analysis was used to determine associations between H. pylori infection and NMO and MS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  H. pylori antibodies were present in 119 serum samples (82.1%, 119/145), with antibody positivity in 90.4% (47/52) of the patients with NMO, 95.8% (23/24) of the patients with hrNMO, 73.8% (31/42) of the patients with MS and 59.3% (16/27) of the controls. NMO spectrum patients had greater positivity for H. pylori than MS patients (p < 0.05) and controls (p < 0.05). The frequency of H. pylori seropositivity did not significantly differ between MS patients and controls (p = 0.726). H. pylori seropositivity was significantly higher in AQP4 antibody-positive patients (54/58, 93.1%; p = 0.038) than in AQP4 antibody-negative patients (48/60, 80%). Logistic regression analysis showed that H. pylori seropositivity was significantly associated with hrNMO [odds ratio (OR) = 9.311, p = 0.005] or hrNMO + NMO (OR = 6.350, p = 0.028).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  H. pylori infection was present in most Chinese patients with NMO and hrNMO, and may be a risk factor for the NMO spectrum.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Neuroscience, and Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital of GuangZhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Youming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Xueqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yaqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Fuhua
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Zhengqi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C496030:AQP4 protein, human; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens