冠心病患者幽门螺杆菌感染与血管内皮生长因子、基质金属蛋白酶-9和冠脉病变的相关性

目的 探讨冠心病患者幽门螺杆菌(HP)感染与血清中血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)、基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMP-9)和冠脉病变的相关性.方法 选取自2014年1月至2019年6月在我院住院诊治的冠心病患者160例研究对象,按HP感染情况分为2组:HP阴性组(n=59)和HP感染组(n=101).HP感染组按感染程度又分为H...     

同型半胱氨酸与冠脉病变程度及斑块的关系

目的探讨血浆同型半胱氨酸（Hey）水平与冠状动脉病变程度及斑块稳定性的关系。方法对200例可疑冠心病患者行冠状动脉造影,根据冠状动脉造影结果分为冠状动脉造影正常的对照组（54例）和冠心病组（146例）;冠心病组根据临床类型分为急性冠状动脉综合征组（ACS组,115例）和稳定型心绞痛组（SAP组,31例）。以Gensini积分评价动脉粥样硬化病变程度,以临床类型评价斑块稳定性。检查所有患者血浆Hcy、高敏C-反应蛋白（hs—CRP）等指标,分析Hey、hs—CRP与Gensini积分、斑块稳定性的关系。结果ACS组和SAP组Hcy水平均显著高于对照组[（28．8±6．5）mol／L比（10．2±4．1）mol／L,（16．3±5．7）mol／L比（10．2±4．1）mol／L,P均〈0．05],而且随着冠状动脉病变Gensini积分的增加而逐渐升高;ACS组Hey水平较SAP组高（P〈0．05）。结论冠心病患者血浆同型半胱氨酸水平与冠状动脉粥样硬化病变程度明显相关,且与斑块稳定性呈正相关。     

Herpesvirus DNA (Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus) in circulating monocytes of patients with coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND: The underlying mechanism of the chronic inflammatory process in atherosclerosis is still unknown. As a possible trigger, several studies in recent years have suggested that different viruses and bacteria are associated with atherosclerotic diseases. METHODS: We applied polymerase chain reaction to analyse whether Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA could be detected in CD14 + cells from 184 patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD) (74 patients with stable angina (SAP), 51 patients with unstable angina (UAP), and 59 patients with myocardial infarction (MI)) and from 52 healthy controls. RESULTS: In two patients (one patient with SAP, one patient with UAP) with CAD and one healthy control, DNA from CMV was found (p = 0.469). HSV DNA was detected in one patient (SAP) but not in any controls (p = 0.644). EBV DNA was found in nine patients (three patients with SAP, one patient with UAP, five patients with MI), and two controls (p = 0.752). CONCLUSION: Our data do not support the hypothesis that herpesvirus-infected monocytes are related to the incidence of human coronary atherosclerosis.     

Influenza A and B IgG seropositivity and coronary atherosclerosis assessed by angiography

Infectious agents, in particular intracellular pathogens that can establish long-term, persistent seropositivity, may play an important role in atherogenesis. The possible association between influenza type A and B infection and angiographically proven coronary artery disease (CAD) and the effect of the aggregate pathogen burden on CAD was studied by testing blood from 218 patients undergoing coronary angiography for serum IgG antibodies to influenza A and B, and for antibodies to four other pathogens (hepatitis A, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, and cytomegalovirus). This analysis demonstrates that although influenza (A and B) seropositivity represents no predictor of risk for CAD, infectious burden is independently associated with coronary atherosclerosis.     

Low testosterone level in middle-aged male patients with coronary artery disease

Background

Endogenous testosterone has been shown to provide a protective role in the development of cardiovascular diseases in men. This study investigated the changes of testosterone level and its relationship to the severity of coronary artery stenosis in middle-aged men with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods

Serum testosterone concentration was measured in 87 middle-aged men patients with CAD including stable angina pectoris (SAP), unstable angina pectoris (USAP) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). All patients underwent coronary angiography and the severity of coronary stenosis was estimated by the Gensini coronary score. The patients with the severity of coronary artery stenosis of less than 50% served as control group.

Results

The levels of testosterone in SAP group (488.2 ± 96.8 ng/dl), USAP group (411.6 ± 128.6 ng/dl) and AMI group (365.3 ± 116.6 ng/dl) were significantly lower than that in control group (562.8 ± 110.2 ng/dl) (all p < 0.05). When compared with another group among SAP, USAP and AMI groups, the level of testosterone in the AMI group was the lowest, the USAP group was the median while the SAP group was the highest (all p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between angiographic Gensini score and testosterone level (n = 87, r = − 0.513, p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis found that testosterone and BMI were independent predictors for CAD (testosterone: odds ratio 0.311, 95% confidence interval 0.174-0.512; BMI: odds ratio 1.905, 95% confidence interval 1.116-2.973).

Conclusion

The present study showed that middle-aged male patients with CAD present a lower level of serum testosterone and the testosterone level was negatively correlated with the severity of coronary artery stenosis.     

Descending aorta wall volume and coronary artery disease: a comparative study using enhanced computed tomography of the chest and coronary angiography

The study examined the association between aortic wall volume (AWV) detected by enhanced computed tomography and coronary artery atherosclerosis observed on angiography. In 180 cases, AWV was measured as the total wall volume of a 7-cm portion of the descending thoracic aorta distal from the tracheal bifurcation. Coronary artery atherosclerosis was angiographically quantified by both Gensini score, in terms of the severity of coronary artery stenosis, and Extent score, in terms of the severity of coronary artery involvement. Mean AWV values between the patients with significant coronary artery stenosis and those without significant stenosis were 9.83+/-4.04 cm3 and 8.09+/-2.39 cm3, respectively (p<0.001). AWV was a significantly independent variable for significant coronary artery disease (p=0.0097) and an Extent score > or = 60 (p=0.0092). Calcification of AWV, however, was not associated with coronary atherosclerosis. The quantification of aortic atherosclerosis was useful for diagnosing coronary artery disease.     

Association of seropositivity for antibody to Chlamydia-specific lipopolysaccharide and coronary artery disease in Japanese men

Recent studies suggest an association between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and coronary artery disease (CAD). To examine this relationship in Japanese men, serum IgA and IgG antibodies to Chlamydia-specific lipopolysaccharide were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 507 patients with CAD and 200 age-matched controls. CAD patients were divided into (1) 269 patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and (2) 238 patients with chronic coronary heart disease (CCHD). Compared with the control group, the CAD group did not differ in the prevalences of both antibodies (IgA: 23.7 vs 18.0%, p=0.10; IgG: 52.7 vs 51.0%, p=0.6). The index of IgG antibody was not significantly different between CAD and control groups (median 1.19 vs 1.18, p=0.3), whereas the index of IgA antibody was significantly higher in CAD than control group (median 0.60 vs 0.46, p<0.0001). Compared with the control group, the MI group had a significantly higher prevalence of IgA antibody (28.6 vs 18.0%, p=0.007); however, there was no difference in the prevalence of IgG antibody (58.0 vs 51.0%, p=0.13). The CCHD group did not differ in the prevalences of both antibodies (IgA: 18.1 vs 18.0%, p=0.9; IgG: 45.6 vs 51.0%, p=0.2). After the adjustment for coronary risk factors, odds ratios (ORs) of seropositive antibodies for CAD were 1.59 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88-2.87, p=0.12] for IgA seropositivity and 0.92 (95%CI: 0.58-1.47, p=0.7) for IgG seropositivity in all cases. In the MI and control groups, ORs of seropositive antibodies for MI were 2.67 (95%CI: 1.32-5.38, p=0.007) for IgA seropositivity, and 1.36 (95%CI: 0.79-2.36, p=0.2) for IgG seropositivity. This study discovered that IgA antibody to Chlamydia was significantly associated with CAD, especially with MI, in Japanese Men and the findings suggest that chronic infection of Chlamydia may be linked to the pathogenesis of MI.     

Homozygosity for angiotensinogen 235T variant increases the risk of myocardial infarction in patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease

OBJECTIVE: Molecular variants of the angiotensinogen (AGT) and the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (ATR) genes have been associated with the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI), but data so far available are conflicting. The primary object of the paper is to verify this possible association by a rigorous, angiographically controlled study in a large sample of patients with or without multi-vessel CAD. DESIGN: We designed a large case-control study in Italian patients candidates for coronary artery bypass grafting, with angiographically documented multi-vessel CAD, compared to subjects with angiographically documented normal coronary arteries. METHODS AND RESULTS: AGT M235T and ATR A1166C gene polymorphisms were analysed in 699 subjects; 454 patients were candidates for coronary artery bypass grafting, having angiographically documented (mainly multi-vessel) CAD. An appropriate documentation of previous MI was obtained from 404/454 (89%, 247 with and 157 without MI). Subjects (n = 245) with angiographically documented normal coronary arteries, were included as control group (CAD-free group). CAD patients had a substantial burden of conventional risk factors as compared with controls free of coronary atherosclerosis. Age, gender, smoking habit and number of stenosed vessels were the only differences between patients with or without previous myocardial infarction, who were similarly exposed to the other conventional risk factors (including hypertension). AGT M235T and ATR A1166C allele and genotype frequencies were similar between CAD and CAD-free patients. In the CAD group, AGT 235T allele was found more frequently in subjects with a previous myocardial infarction (0.494 versus 0.414; P < or = 0.05). By logistic regression, homozygosity for AGT 235T variant appeared to confer 1.9-fold increased risk for MI in both the univariate and the multivariate (adjusted for age, gender, smoking habit and number of stenosed vessels) model. CONCLUSIONS: AGT 235 T homozygous patients with multivessel CAD have an increased risk of myocardial infarction as compared with subjects with clinically similar phenotype but different genotype.     

Endothelial dysfunction in acute coronary syndrome without ST segment elevation in the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is one of the most common chronic infections in humans. While a causative relationship between H. pylori infection and several gastrointestinal disorders has been well established, the association between this condition and the development of atherosclerosis and coronary artery diseases (CAD) is less clear. AIM: To examine the relationship between H. pylori infection and endothelial function in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) without ST segment elevation. METHODS: The study group consisted of 31 patients (17 males aged 38-78 years and 14 females aged 45-80 years) with ACS and without ST segment elevation in whom we measured antibodies to H. pylori and haemostatic factors indicating endothelial function, such as von Willebrand factor (vWF), thrombomodulin (TM), tissue plasmin activator (tPA:Ag), tPA inhibitor (PAI-1:Ag) and fibrinogen. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with H. pylori seropositivity was 93.5%. No significant relationship between parameters of endothelial function and IgG antibodies to H. pylori were found. There was a significant association between antibodies to p54 protein and vWF (p=0.027) and between antibodies to p33 protein and PAI:Ag concentration (p=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the type of H. pylori antigens and antibodies to these antigens rather than the presence of IgG antibodies to H. pylori may play a role in the development of CAD.     

Detection of Helicobacter pylori specific DNA in human atheromatous coronary arteries and its association to prior myocardial infarction and unstable angina

BACKGROUND: Chronic infections have been proposed to play a role in the aetiology or progression of atherosclerotic plaques. Increased risk of coronary artery disease has been suggested in patients seropositive for Helicobacter pylori. AIM: To analyse coronary specimens in patients with severe (coronary artery disease) for Helicobacter pylori specific DNA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Atherosclerotic plaques were obtained in 46 consecutive patients (9 female, 37 male, mean age 62.7+/-9.17 years) during coronary bypass procedures. Serum was analysed for IgG -/cagA-antibodies specific for Helicobacter pylori. Polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis were used to identify bacterial DNA. Coronary artery biopsies from 19 autopsies without coronary artery disease were examined as a control group. RESULTS: Of the 46 coronary artery disease patients, 32 (69.6%) were Helicobacter pylori seropositive. Positive results for Helicobacter pylori DNA showed 18 seropositive and 4 seronegative (with anamnesis of eradication therapy). A total of 22 patients (47.8%) of the coronary artery disease group but none of controls revealed positive DNA. In the coronary artery disease group, a correlation between DNA presence and prior myocardial infarction (p=0.008) and unstable angina (p<0.001) was found. CONCLUSION: Identification of DNA in atherosclerotic plaques of patients with severe coronary artery disease supports the hypothesis that Helicobacter pylori infection may influence the development of atherosclerosis. Our results may indicate an direct involvement of Helicobacter pylori in the progression and instability of plaques in these patients.     

Microalbuminuria is associated with the severity of coronary artery disease independently of other cardiovascular risk factors

The potential early predictive value of microalbuminuria (MA) in the estimation of atherosclerosis and the relation between the degree of urinary albumin excretion and the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) were investigated. Patients (n = 159) with stable angina pectoris and angiographically significant stenosis in at least 1 of the major coronary arteries were included. Microalbuminuria was measured by immunoturbidimetry. The extent of coronary artery stenosis was graded using the Gensini score. The Gensini score was significantly greater in patients who had MA. Also, the Gensini increased by 0.15 units with 1 unit increase in MA. In the groups who had diabetes mellitus and hypertension, there was no correlation between MA and Gensini score. The results of the present study suggest that MA is associated with the severity of CAD independent of other cardiovascular risk factors.     

Relationship between aortic valve sclerosis and the extent of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography

BACKGROUND: Aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) is considered to be a manifestation of coronary atherosclerosis. Recent studies demonstrated an association between AVS and significant coronary artery disease (CAD). AIM: We sought to determine the association between AVS and the extent of coronary atherosclerosis by means of the Gensini score system, which was calculated to yield a measure of the extent and severity of coronary atherosclerosis in patients referred for coronary angiography. METHODS: A total of 160 consecutive patients referred for coronary angiography were subjected to echocardiography for screening of AVS and coronary risk assessment. Absence (group 1, n = 110) and presence of AVS (Group 2, n = 50) was established. The cardiac risk factors considered in this study were age, gender, family history of CAD, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and history of smoking. The body mass index was also measured. Atherosclerotic plaque burden was determined using the Gensini score. Significant CAD was defined as >50% reduction in the internal diameter of at least one coronary artery. Multivessel coronary disease was based on the presence of 2- or 3-vessel disease. RESULTS: The AVS patients had a higher rate of 3-vessel disease (AVS group vs. non AVS: 40 vs. 13.6%; p < 0.001). No significant correlations were found between AVS and 1- and 2-vessel disease. Individuals with AVS were found to have a higher Gensini score (40.7 +/- 38.05 vs. 18 +/- 16.4; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified age (p < 0.001), male sex (p = 0.01), triglycerides (p = 0.02), LDL cholesterol (p = 0.001) and Gensini score (p = 0.003) as independent predictors of AVS. CONCLUSION: AVS is strongly interrelated with the coronary angiographic Gensini score. Echocardiographic detection of AVS in patients undergoing coronary angiography can provide a new surrogate marker of the extent of coronary atherosclerosis.     

冠心病患者血清可溶性E-选择素检测的意义

目的　探讨血清可溶性E 选择素在监测冠心病病情及与冠状动脉病变程度的关系。方法　 81例冠心病患者 ,按临床诊断分为 4组 :急性心肌梗死 (AMI) 17例、不稳定性心绞痛 (UAP) 2 4例、稳定性心绞痛 (SAP) 2 0例和对照组患者 2 0例。检测各组患者血清可溶性E 选择素的水平 ,并比较各组间的差异。对冠心病患者的冠状动脉损害行Gensini评分 ,并与其血清可溶性E 选择素水平进行直线相关分析。结果　 (1)AMI组、UAP组及SAP组的血清可溶性E 选择素水平比对照组高 ;(2 )AMI组、UAP组可溶性E 选择素水平和SAP组相比 ,其值增加明显 ;AMI组和UAP组结果相似 ;(3)急性冠脉综合征 (AMI组 +UAP组 )血清可溶性E 选择素水平与冠状动脉Gensini评分呈正相关。结论　血清可溶性 E选择素可能是冠状动脉粥样硬化的标志 ,参与了冠心病的发病过程 ,在急性冠脉综合征中 ,其值与冠状动脉病变程度密切相关。     

Urinary 8-isoprostane levels can indicate the presence, severity and extent of angiographic coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Oxidative stress is one of the key elements in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Isoprostanes are established markers of oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of urinary 8-isoprostane levels with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) assessed by a validated scoring system. METHOD: Urinary 8-isoprostane levels were measured in 100 consecutive patients scheduled for coronary angiography. Extent and severity of CAD were assessed by modified Gensini scores. RESULTS: In patients with CAD, 8-isoprostane levels were higher (P < 0.001) than in patients without CAD (68.75 +/- 5.5 vs. 38.27 +/- 3.7 pg/ml). The levels of 8-isoprostane correlated with the number of risk factors (P < 0.001) and significantly increased in relation with the number of diseased vessels (P < 0.001). A significant (P < 0.001) correlation was found between 8-isoprostane levels and Gensini scores (r = 0.496), and a stepwise elevation in 8-isoprostane levels was observed across the increasing tertiles of the Gensini scores (P < 0.001). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that 8-isoprostane was an independent predictor (odds ratio: 7.19 and P = 0.007) associated with angiographic CAD. CONCLUSION: These results confirm the role of oxidative stress in the atherosclerotic process. Urinary 8-isoprostane levels reflect the extent and severity of CAD and they may provide additional information for risk assessment in patients with suspected CAD.     

急性冠状动脉综合征患者外周血T细胞Rho激酶活性检测的意义

目的研究急性冠状动脉综合征(ACS)患者外周血T细胞中Rho激酶活化情况及其临床意义。方法选择ACS患者270例,根据冠状动脉造影和临床诊断分为稳定性心绞痛(SAP)组85例、不稳定性心绞痛(UAP)组95例,急性心肌梗死(AMI)组90例和非冠心病患者(对照组)70例。冠状动脉病变程度采用冠状动脉Gensini积分量化。外周血采用RosettSep T细胞提取试剂盒。磷酸化肌球蛋白磷酸酶靶亚基1(MYPT1)蛋白表达来表示Rho激酶活性,磷酸化MYPT1蛋白检测采用免疫印迹法,细胞因子水平采用酶联免疫吸附试验检测。结果 UAP组和AMI组外周血T细胞Rho激酶活性明显高于SAP组和对照组(P<0.05)。Rho激酶活性抑制剂Y27632对ACS患者T细胞白细胞介素6分泌有明显抑制作用(P<0.01),对白细胞介素10分泌无明显抑制作用。Gensini积分≥20分患者外周血T细胞Rho激酶活性明显高于Gensini积分<20分患者(P<0.05)。结论 ACS患者T淋巴细胞存在Rho激酶活化异常,并且与ACS患者冠状动脉斑块的稳定性和病变严重程度有关。     

幽门螺杆菌与冠心病的关系

目的：探讨幽门螺杆菌（HP）与冠心病（CHD）的关系。方法：268例冠心病不稳定型心绞痛患者均进行14C试验,根据检查结果分为HP阳性组（114例）和HP阴性组（159例）,每组患者均接受冠心病不稳定型心绞痛的标准治疗方案,分别观察两组患者3个月内心绞痛发生需要入院的情况与一年内心肌梗死发生率。结果：3个月内,两组因心绞痛再入院率无显著差异（χ2=0.76,P〉0.05）;一年内HP阳性组心肌梗塞发生率明显高于HP阴性组（5.3%比0.6%,P〈0.05）。结论：幽门螺杆菌与冠心病不稳定型心绞痛患者发生心肌梗死有一定关系,但是具体作用机制还需要进一步探讨。     

Atrophic gastritis, but not antibody to Helicobacter pylori, is associated with body mass index in a Japanese population

Background  The relationship between Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and body mass index (BMI) is controversial. Several reports have indicated that eradication of HP infection induces an increase in BMI. In contrast, epidemiological case-control studies have failed to show an association between HP infection and BMI. Therefore, we investigated whether HP and atrophic gastritis (AG) were associated with BMI. Methods  A total of 617 individuals were recruited for the measurements of BMI, serum leptin, pepsinogens (PGs) I and II, and IgG antibody to HP (HP-IgG). BMI and leptin of the subjects were compared when the subjects were stratified by HP-IgG and PGs. Results  The subjects were divided into AG-positive and AG-negative groups according to PGs (AG-positive: PG I ≤ 70 ng/ml and PG I/II ratio ≤3.0). BMI after adjusting for sex and age was significantly lower in the AG-positive group than in the AG-negative group (23.47 ± 3.05 vs. 24.18 ± 3.25, P = 0.010). When the subjects were divided into two groups according to HP-IgG, BMI tended to be lower in the HP-IgG-positive group, though the difference was not large. When the subjects were divided into four groups for different combinations of AG and HP-IgG, BMI was the lowest in the AG-positive and HP-IgG-negative group. Conclusions  BMI was associated with AG, as diagnosed by PGs, but not with HP infection status. These results mean that HP infection affects BMI via atrophic gastritis.     

Helicobacter pylori and Alzheimer's disease: a possible link

BACKGROUND: Although serological findings indicate the presence of a relationship between Helicobacter pylori (HP) and vascular disease, no data have been reported about a possible association of HP with dementia. The aim of the present study was to determine whether chronic HP infection might play a role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Plasma homocysteine level, serum folate and vitamin B(12) concentrations, plasma pyridoxal phosphate level, IgG and IgA antibodies to HP, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined in 30 AD patients, 30 patients affected by vascular dementia (VaD), and 30 control subjects. All patients and control subjects were matched for age, educational level, and nutritional and socioeconomic status. None of the subjects had a history of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastric cancer, or major abdominal surgery. RESULTS: HP-IgG level was significantly increased in VaD patients as compared to controls and AD patients, while AD patients had HP-IgG levels higher than those of normal controls. HP-IgA levels were equally increased in both VaD and AD patients. CRP was higher in AD patients than in VaD patients and controls, although CRP levels in VaD patients were also significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: The present study found an association between HP infection and AD. The question remains as to whether this association is due to the ubiquity of HP, or whether it contributes to the neuroinflammatory process in AD. The relationship between HP and AD, if confirmed by additional studies with a greater number of patients, may have important clinical and therapeutic implications.     

Relationship between angiographically documented coronary artery disease and low bone mass in men.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to investigate the association between low bone mass (LBM) and coronary artery disease (CAD) in male patients. METHOD AND RESULTS: The data for 47 men who were screened for osteopenia and osteoporosis with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and then underwent coronary angiography between February 2005 and May 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. Bone mineral density of the femur neck was stratified as normal (T score >-1.0 SD) or low (T score <-1.0 SD) and CAD was defined as > or = 50% occlusion in at least 1 major coronary artery. Thirty-two patients were found to have angiographically significant CAD. Patients in the LBM group had a significantly higher incidence of CAD. Low bone mass was significantly and positively correlated with the Gensini scores of the patients (r=0.6037, p<0.0001) and was found to be an independent predictor of CAD in multivariate logistic regression analysis (odds ratio: 5.4 [95% confidence interval 1.66 and 17.49]; p=0.0049). Repeated statistical analyses with the acceptance of CAD as coronary artery stenosis >75% confirmed the same results. CONCLUSION: Low bone mass was significantly associated with angiographically documented CAD in males.     

Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and atherosclerosis risk factors

Certain viral and bacterial infections may contribute to the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study is to determine whether Helicobacter pylori (HP) seropositivity contributes to conventional atherosclerosis risk factors in the development of an early sign of atherosclerosis: intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery. Eighty-four patients who had at least two conventional atherosclerosis risk factors and a control group of 50 patients having no risk factors for atherosclerosis were enrolled in the study. None of the patients had ever received HP eradication treatment. HP IgG antibodies were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Carotid artery IMT was measured 1 cm before the carotid bifurcation. Seventy-five percent of the study group was HP seropositive. HP seropositive (n=64) and seronegative (n=21) groups were identical in terms of sex distribution, smoking pattern, mean age, hemoglobin, leukocyte, platelet, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure levels. There was no significant difference between the mean carotid IMT of HP seropositive (0.8+/-0.3 mm) and negative (0.8+/-0.3 mm) patients in the study group. Similar to the study group, there was no statistically significant difference between mean carotid IMT of HP seropositive (0.56+/-0.19 mm) and negative patients (0.67+/-0.13 mm) in the control group (p=0.2). Future studies concerning virulent strains are needed to determine the probable role of HP in atherosclerosis.