Eradication of Helicobacter pylori increases the incidence of hyperlipidaemia and obesity in peptic ulcer patients.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Eradication of Helicobacter pylori improves clinical symptoms and quality of life in patients with peptic ulcer. AIM: To investigate the effect of eradication of H. pylori on body mass index and incidence of hyperlipidaemia in patients with peptic ulcer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study population comprised 50 patients (42 men, 8 women; mean age, 51 years; 28 gastric ulcer, 22 duodenal ulcer) who underwent physical and blood examination before and 1 year after undergoing eradication therapy and 100 sex- and age-matched control subjects. Body mass index, total cholesterol and triglyceride were measured before and 1 year after therapy. RESULTS: The eradication therapy group showed a significant increase in body mass index (22.7+/-2.5 kg/m2 before eradication versus 23.6+/-2.6 kg/m2 after eradication, p < 0.01), serum total cholesterol (204.1+/-33.2 mg/dL versus 221.2+/-38.8 mg/dL, p < 0.01), and triglyceride. Additionally, the eradication therapy group showed a significant increase in the incidence of hypercholesterolemia (30% versus 58%, p<0.01), hypertriglyceridaemia (28% versus 44%, p < 0.01) and obesity (12% versus 22%, p <0.05) 12 months after therapy. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that eradication of H. pylori significantly increases the incidence of hyperlipidaemia and obesity in patients with peptic ulcer.