Open AccessHelicobacter pylori infection and endocrine disorders: Is there a link?
Author(s) -
Konstantinos X Papamichael,
Garyphallia Papaioannou,
Helen Karga,
Anastasios Roussos,
Gerassimos J. Mantzaris
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
world journal of gastroenterology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.427
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 2219-2840
pISSN - 1007-9327
DOI - 10.3748/wjg.15.2701
Subject(s) - helicobacter pylori , medicine , immunology , disease , gastritis , chronic gastritis , context (archaeology) , atrophic gastritis , endocrine system , population , inflammation , gastroenterology , biology , hormone , paleontology , environmental health
Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection is a leading world-wide infectious disease as it affects more than half of the world population and causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastric malignancies. The infection elicits a chronic cellular inflammatory response in the gastric mucosa. However, the effects of this local inflammation may not be confined solely to the digestive tract but may spread to involve extra-intestinal tissues and/or organs. Indeed, H pylori infection has been epidemiologically linked to extra-digestive conditions and diseases. In this context, it has been speculated that H pylori infection may be responsible for various endocrine disorders, such as autoimmune thyroid diseases, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity, osteoporosis and primary hyperparathyroidism. This is a review of the relationship between H pylori infection and these endocrine disorders.