Open AccessQuantitative assessment of IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori and outcome of ischaemic heart disease
Author(s) -
Alkout Abdulhamid M.,
Ramsay Eleanor J.,
Mackenzie Doris A.C.,
Weir Donald M.,
Bentley Alastair J.,
Elton Robert A.,
Sutherland Sheena,
Busuttil Anthony,
Blackwell C.Caroline
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2000.tb01533.x
Subject(s) - helicobacter pylori , serology , medicine , myocardial infarction , disease , gastroenterology , ischaemic heart disease , socioeconomic status , immunology , spirillaceae , antibody , population , gastritis , environmental health
Abstract Criticisms of serological studies on Helicobacter pylori and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) include: undiagnosed heart disease in live controls; no assessment of severity or outcome of IHD; and qualitative not quantitative measurements of IgG to the bacteria. The aim was to assess quantitatively IgG levels specific for H. pylori (ng ml −1 ) among patients who survived a myocardial infarction (MI) with those who died of IHD. Sera were from four groups: (1) men who survived one MI; (2) men matched for age and socioeconomic background to group 1; (3) individuals who died suddenly of IHD; (4) accidental deaths matched for age and sex to group 3. Levels of IgG to H. pylori increased with age ( P <0.005 ) but were not associated with smoking or socioeconomic groups. There was a correlation between IgG to the bacteria and decreasing socioeconomic levels only among group 1 ( P <0.01 ). IgG levels were higher for subjects who died of heart disease (median=151 ng ml −1 ) compared with survivors (median=88 ng ml −1 ) ( P =0.034 ) and higher for survivors compared with their controls (median=58 ng ml −1 ) ( P =0.039 ). Future serological studies of H. pylori in relation to IHD should be quantitative and severity of disease considered in analyses.