Relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and carotid atherosclerosis in the elderly / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori(Hp)infection and carotid atherosclerosis(CAS)in the elderly, in order to provide an empirical basis for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in the elderly.Methods:A total of 287 patients aged 60 years and over admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, who underwent the 13C-urea breath test( 13C-UBT), carotid color and two-dimensional Doppler ultrasonography from October 2015 to January 2019, were retrospectively enrolled.Patients were divided into the Hp infection group(n=137)and the non-Hp infection group(n=150). Common high-risk pathogenic factors, blood biochemical indicators, carotid intima-media thickness(IMT)and detection rate of carotid plaque were compared between the two groups. Results:Common high-risk pathogenic factors including age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, dyslipidemia, and hyperuricemia showed no significant difference between the two groups( P>0.05). The level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)was lower in the Hp infection group than in the non-Hp infection group( P<0.05). There was no difference in levels of white blood cells, neutrophils, total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), homocysteine, fasting blood glucose, creatinine or uric acid between the two groups( P>0.05). The detection rates of increased carotid IMT and carotid plaques were higher in the Hp infection group than in the non-Hp infection group(65.0% or 89 cases vs.48.7% or 73 cases, 76.6% or 105 cases vs.64.7% or 97 cases, P<0.01 and 0.05). The detection rate of carotid plaques in the Hp-infected group was higher than that in the non-Hp-infected group( P<0.05). The combined detection rate of increased carotid IMT and plaques was higher in the Hp infection group than in the non-Hp infection group(56.2% or 77cases vs.32.7% or 49 cases, P<0.01). Conclusions:Hp infection may play a role in the occurrence and progression of carotid atherosclerosis through initiating abnormal lipid metabolism.Early intervention and treatment may reduce the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with Hp infection.