HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION AND INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

Helicobacter pylori is associated with different diseases: duodenal ul cer, rosacea, ischaemic heart disease and gastric cancer. Given the ab normal immunological response and the high prevalence of gastrointesti nal symptoms in diabetic patients, we conducted a study on H. pylori p revalence among these patients. We designed a case control study of a population-based cohort. Eighty insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (I DDM) patients with an average age (24.05+/-8.3 years), and 100 control subjects (25+/-7.1 years) were selected to verify the seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori in these populations. One serum sample was obta ined from each subject for evaluation of antibodies against Helicobact er pylori, parietal cells (APA) and pancreatic islets cells (ICA). The seroprevalence of H. pylori among IDDM patients aged less than 24 yea rs was significantly higher than among control subjects; the correspon ding rate among IDDM aged greater than 24 years was significantly lowe r than among control subjects. Antibodies against parietal cells (APA) and islet cells (ICA) among H. pylori positive diabetic patients were significantly higher than among H. pylori negative diabetic patients. IDDM patients were subdivided on the basis of the evolutive course of diabetes. Seroprevalence of H. pylori as well as prevalence of ICAs d ecreased with IDDM duration. Nevertheless, Ilo variation in the preval ence of APAs during the course of diabetes was observed. We observed a n association between the seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori and th e duration of IDDM. The seroprevalence of H. pylori and ICA decreased with the evolutive course of diabetes mellitus among IDDM. The prevale nce of ICA and APA in IDDM H. pylori positive subjects was higher than among controls. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights res erved.