OBJECTIVE: Infection by Helicobacter pylori has been epidemiologically linked to some extradigestive conditions, including ischemic heart disease. Diabetic patients are an at-risk population for cardiovascular and thrombo-occlusive cerebral disease. The aim of the study was to examine a possible relationship between H. pylori infection and cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease in diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional case-control study with 127 diabetic patients (both IDDM and NIDDM). Special emphasis was placed on the detection of clinical macro- and microvascular complications, cardiovascular risk factors, acute phase reactants, and serological markers of increased cardiovascular disease risk. H. pylori infection was assessed through the determination of specific Ig-G titers, measured by a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Coronary heart disease was more prevalent in diabetic patients with than without H. pylori (odds ratio [OR] 4.07; 95% CI 1.21-13.6; P < 0.05). A history of thrombo-occlusive cerebral disease was also more frequent in H. pylori-positive diabetic patients (OR 4.8; 95% CI 1.24-18.51; P < 0.05). Other complications such as peripheral arteriopathy, advanced nephropathy, neuropathy, or retinopathy were no differently distributed according to serological status. Alterations in the levels of the following acute-phase reactants and blood chemistry determinations were significantly more profound in H. pylori-positive diabetic patients: high fibrinogen (P < 0.05), high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P < 0.001), high triglycerides (P < 0.001), and low HDL cholesterol (P < 0.001). There values were also more deeply altered in H. pylori-positive diabetic patients with a history of coronary heart disease, thrombo-occlusive cerebral disease, or both, when compared with H. pylori-positive diabetic patients without those complications. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate a possible association of H. pylori infection and the development of coronary heart disease, thrombo-occlusive cerebral disease, or both, in diabetic patients. The importance of this link is highlighted by the possibility of an effective intervention against H. pylori infection.
OBJECTIVE:Infection by Helicobacter pylori has been epidemiologically linked to some extradigestive conditions, including ischemic heart disease. Diabeticpatients are an at-risk population for cardiovascular and thrombo-occlusive cerebral disease. The aim of the study was to examine a possible relationship between H. pyloriinfection and cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease in diabeticpatients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional case-control study with 127 diabeticpatients (both IDDM and NIDDM). Special emphasis was placed on the detection of clinical macro- and microvascular complications, cardiovascular risk factors, acute phase reactants, and serological markers of increased cardiovascular disease risk. H. pyloriinfection was assessed through the determination of specific Ig-G titers, measured by a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS:Coronary heart disease was more prevalent in diabeticpatients with than without H. pylori (odds ratio [OR] 4.07; 95% CI 1.21-13.6; P < 0.05). A history of thrombo-occlusive cerebral disease was also more frequent in H. pylori-positive diabeticpatients (OR 4.8; 95% CI 1.24-18.51; P < 0.05). Other complications such as peripheral arteriopathy, advanced nephropathy, neuropathy, or retinopathy were no differently distributed according to serological status. Alterations in the levels of the following acute-phase reactants and blood chemistry determinations were significantly more profound in H. pylori-positive diabeticpatients: high fibrinogen (P < 0.05), high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P < 0.001), high triglycerides (P < 0.001), and low HDL cholesterol (P < 0.001). There values were also more deeply altered in H. pylori-positive diabeticpatients with a history of coronary heart disease, thrombo-occlusive cerebral disease, or both, when compared with H. pylori-positive diabeticpatients without those complications. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate a possible association of H. pyloriinfection and the development of coronary heart disease, thrombo-occlusive cerebral disease, or both, in diabeticpatients. The importance of this link is highlighted by the possibility of an effective intervention against H. pyloriinfection.
Authors: N E Gulcelik; E Kaya; B Demirbas; C Culha; G Koc; M Ozkaya; E Cakal; R Serter; Y Aral Journal: J Endocrinol Invest Date: 2005-03 Impact factor: 4.256