Cytotoxin associated gene A [CAG A] antigen carrying strains of helicobacter pylori and increased risk of acute myocardial infarction

ABSTRACT

The aim of work is to study the possible association between Helicobacter pylori infection and increased risk of acute myocardial infarction. Subjects and Fifty patients were included in this study with acute myocardial infarction "AMI" admitted to the intensive care unit at cardiology department Tanta university hospital. All patients were subjected to clinical assessment, electro cardiography [E.C.G]. Echo cardiographic examination, and quantification of IgG antibodies to cytotoxin associated gene-A [Cag-A] in plasma samples using ELISA. H. pylori infection was significantly higher in patients with acute myocardial infarction [80.4%] than in controls [20%]. Also, infection with CagA bearing strains of H. pylori was significantly higher in AMI patients [64.7%] than in controls [10.0%]. H. pylori seropositive AMI patients showed positive CagA strains were significantly higher [64.7%] compared to infection with CagA negative strains [15.7%]. Helicobacter pylori, particularly CagA positive strains, significantly increase the risk of coronary heart disease, and is independent from the classical risk factors