Helicobacter pylori infection and vascular diseases

Ital J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1998 Oct:30 Suppl 3:S307-9.

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori infection has recently been associated to some organic functional vascular disorders and, both observational and interventional studies have been carried out. A correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and ischaemic heart disease was first described in 1994. Recent data, moreover, indicate a role of the bacterium in some functional vascular disorders such as primary headache and primary Raynaud phenomenon; indeed, some patients following eradication of Helicobacter pylori showed a significant improvement in the manifestations of these diseases. The host immune response against the bacterium may play an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular disorders, probably through a chronic stimulation of the release of vasoactive substances, such as cytokines, prostaglandins and others. However, various confounding factors such as co-infections, genetic and immunological host-factors, different strains of Helicobacter pylori or other may influence the data. Well designed case/control and randomized interventional studies are still needed to assess the real role of Helicobacter pylori in vascular disorders.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Endothelium, Vascular / immunology
  • Endothelium, Vascular / microbiology
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Helicobacter Infections / complications*
  • Helicobacter Infections / microbiology
  • Helicobacter pylori* / immunology
  • Helicobacter pylori* / pathogenicity
  • Humans
  • Raynaud Disease / immunology
  • Raynaud Disease / microbiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Vascular Diseases / immunology
  • Vascular Diseases / microbiology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Cytokines