title: Helicobacter pylori infection and dementia: can actual data reinforce the hypothesis of a causal association?
abstract: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is involved in the development of several gastroduodenal diseases. Since the latest decade, several studies have reported on the link between chronic H. pylori infection and a variety of extragastric manifestations, including dementia. To identify the publications on the association between H. pylori and dementia, a MEDLINE search was conducted. Although case-control studies reported controversial data, a recent longitudinal population-based cohort study found that after 20 years of follow-up, 28.9% of H. pylori-positive versus 21.1% of H. pylori-negative subjects developed dementia. After correction for confounding factors, the infection was significantly associated with higher risk of developing dementia (P=0.04). Moreover, in another study evaluating the effect of H. pylori eradication on the progression of dementia in Alzheimer's disease patients with peptic ulcer, the cure of the bacterium was associated with a decreased risk of dementia progression compared to persistent infection. To date, defining H. pylori as a target for prevention or treatment of dementia remains a topic with much controversy but of essence, as any relationship would reduce, due to the cost-effectiveness of the therapy, a burden on the National Health Care budget. The need for extensive studies with appropriate epidemiological and clinical approaches is crucial to investigate a potential causal relationship.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Molinette Hospital, Turin, Italy - rinaldo_pellican@hotmail.com.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Adriani
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Fagoonee
authors: C
authors: C
authors: De Angelis
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Altruda
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Pellicano
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male