H. pylori Infection associated with Carotid Intima and Media Thickening, vascular events

A new study shows that increased Carotid intima medium (CIM) thickness is linked to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. As a result, the infection might have a role in the development of significant vascular events.

Infection with H. pylori affects 4.4 billion individuals globally. Several studies reveal that this virus has an influence on the digestive system, creating a variety of serious ailments as well as extra gastrointestinal problems such as vascular disease.

This study was conducted by Orsolya Anna Simon and team with the objective to see if there's a link between H. pylori infection and carotid intima media thickness. The findings of this study were published in the Journal of The American Heart Association.

Studies comparing the thickness of the carotid intima media in H. pylori–infected and noninfected persons were searched in electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Scopus) until October 20, 2020. The Der Simonian and Laird technique was used to conduct statistical studies utilizing a random effects metanalysis on a model of weighted mean differences with the matching 95 percent confidence interval. PROSPERO was used to register the protocol in advance (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews; CRD42021224485). Thirteen papers were identified to match the inclusion criteria for this systematic review and metanalysis, with data on carotid intima media thickness in the presence of H. pylori infection.

The key findings of this study are as follow:

1. A total of 2298 people's data were included in the study (1360 H. pylori positive, 938 negative).

2. When compared to uninfected subjects, the total carotid intima-media thickness was considerably higher in infected patients.

3. The intima-media thickening was also shown to be considerable in the right common carotid artery, but it was not found to be significant in the left common carotid artery.

In conclusion, H. pylori infection is linked to the thickening of the CIM, which was observed to be more evident in H. pylori positive people. The patho-mechanism might be further defined by identifying the molecular alterations and conducting large-scale randomized clinical trials. In those with a thicker CIMT, early detection and eradication of the bacteria should be explored.

Reference:

Simon OA, Görbe A, Hegyi P, Szakó L, Oštarijaš E, Dembrovszky F, Kiss S, Czopf L, Erőss B, Szabó I. Helicobacter pylori Infection Is Associated With Carotid Intima and Media Thickening: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Feb;11(3):e022919. doi:10.1161/JAHA.121.022919.