Association of Helicobacter pylori infection with elevated serum lipids

Helicobacter pylori causes a chronic gastric infection, which has been asso ciated with coronary heart disease. To evaluate the mechanisms of this asso ciation, we studied whether the infection affects serum lipid levels as pre viously shown in acute infections. We analysed the serum samples of 880 mal es who participated in a reindeer herders' health survey in Northern Finlan d in 1989. H. pylori IgG and IgA antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and triglyceride, total cholesterol and high-density li poprotein cholesterol concentrations by routine enzymatic methods. A total of 52% of the subjects were positive for both H. pylori specific IgG and Ig A. and 31% were antibody-negative. The serum triglyceride and total cholest erol concentrations were significantly higher in the males with positive Ig G and IgA antibody titres for H. pylori than in the males with no signs of infection (1.20 vs. 1.03 mmol/l, P < 0.001 and 6.59 vs. 6.11 mmol/l, P < 0. 001, respectively). The associations remained statistically significant in non-smokers after the adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI) and social class. The finding supports the hypothesis that chronic infections may modi fy the serum lipid profile in a way that increases the risk of atherosclero sis. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.