HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION AND CORONARY HEART-DISEASE IN THE NORTHGLASGOW MONICA POPULATION

Aim Recent evidence suggests that Helicobacter pylori infection is ass ociated with coronary heart disease. We investigated whether H. Pylori infection is related to prevalent coronary heart disease, in a random sample of 1428 men and women aged 25-74 years. Methods and results Co ronary heart disease was assessed by questionnaire and electrocardiogr aphy (EGG). Standard risk factors for coronary heart disease, fibrinog en concentration and serum concentrations of H. pylori-specific IgG an tibody were measured. H. pylori seropositivity increased with age (P l ess than or equal to 0.001) and was significantly more prevalent in me n than women. H, pylori infection was associated with current smoking and a higher systolic blood pressure in men but not in women. There wa s no significant increase in the odds ratio in those seropositive for H. pylori with regard to any manifestation of coronary heart disease, after adjustment for age, standard cardiovascular risk factors and soc ial class. Likewise, age-adjusted plasma fibrinogen was no higher in s eropositives. Conclusion Seropositivity to H. pylori is associated wit h a trend towards a greater prevalence of coronary heart disease. Howe ver, that association is likely to be spurious and can be adequately e xplained by the much stronger association of H. pylori infection with age and social class, both of which are linked with coronary heart dis ease.