Correlation of Helicobacter pylori infection with atherosclerosis and its risk factors

Objective: The correlation of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) with atherosclerosis (AS) was investigated, and its risk factors were analyzed to provide theoretical references for clinical treatment. Methods From August 2018 to July 2021, 12560 physical examiners were involved in a physical examination conducted at our center. Herein, some physical examiners were randomly selected as the research objects. Among the subjects, 72 were diagnosed with coronary AS(AS group), 48 with thrombotic stroke (CT group), and 58 with cerebral infarction (CI group). Meanwhile, 100 healthy examiners were assigned to the control group. The enrolled objects were exposed to 13 C urea breath test to detect Hp infection. In addition, all subjects were exposed to fasting hemospasia for the detection of the levels of homocysteine (Hcy), uric acid (UA), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG); and their correlations with Hp infection were also analyzed. Result The detection rates of Hp in the AS,CI,CT, and control groups were 56.94% (41/72), 60.34% (35/58), 58.33% (28/48), and 27.0% (27/100), respectively. The detection rates of Hp in the AS, CI, and CT groups were significantly higher than that of the control group ( P  < 0.05); the levels of LDL-C, TC, and TG of the AS,CI, and CT groups were higher than those of the control group, while the HDL-C level of the AS ,CI,and CT groups was lower than that of the control group ( P  < 0.05); The levels of LDL-C, TC, and TG of the 3 Hp infection groups was higher than those of the Hp-negative group, while the level of HDL of the 3 Hp infection groups was lower than that of the Hp negative group ( P  < 0.05). When compared with the Hp-negative group, UA, LDL-C, TG, Hcy, and age of the Hp positive group were higher than those of the negative group, while HDL-C of the Hp-positive group was lower than that of the Hp-negative group ( P   1, P  < 0.01), while HDL-C is a protection factor against Hp infection (OR < 1, P  < 0.01). Logistic multivariate analysis revealed that HDL -C acted as a protective factor against Hp infection ( P  < 0.01). Conclusions Hp and AS exhibited a correlation. Indeed, Hp infection can significantly damage lipid metabolism, and high HDL cholesterol levels can reduce Hp infection, and hence has the potential for use as a vascular protective factor.