Significant association between serum interleukin-6 and Helicobacter pylori antibody levels among H. pylori-positive Japanese adults.
BACKGROUND
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine produced by many types of cells. Inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis that is an underlying cause of coronary heart disease (CHD). Since the 1990s, some studies have shown an association between H. pylori infection and CHD, which may be mediated by inflammation. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association between serum anti-H. pylori IgG levels and serum IL-6 levels in H. pylori-infected adults.


METHODS
We enrolled 158 subjects who visited a clinic located in an urban area to be tested for H. pylori infection, using the (13)C-urea breath test, and who were found to be infected and subsequently received eradication.


RESULTS
The geometric mean serum IL-6 level was 1.78 pg/mL for men, 1.57 pg/mL for women, and 1.64 pg/mL overall. Logarithms of serum IL-6 levels were positively correlated with logarithms of serum H. pylori IgG levels (r = 0.24, P = 0.002). In multiple linear regression analysis adjusting for sex and age, the serum IL-6 level was still significantly associated with the IgG level in all subjects (β = 0.18, P = 0.012).


CONCLUSIONS
Higher H. pylori IgG levels were significantly associated with higher serum IL-6 levels among H. pylori-infected individuals.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
Hiroko
H
Nakagawa
Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
Takashi
T
Tamura
Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
Yoko
Y
Mitsuda
Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
Yasuyuki
Y
Goto
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Higashi Nagoya National Hospital, National Hospital Organization, Nagoya 465-8620, Japan.
Yoshikazu
Y
Kamiya
Department of Pathophysiological Laboratory Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 461-8673, Japan.
Takaaki
T
Kondo
Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
Kenji
K
Wakai
Department of Healthcare Administration, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
Nobuyuki
N
Hamajima
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein