Carotid intima-media thickness and serum paraoxonase-1 activity in patients with Helicobacter pylori.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To evaluate serum paraoxonase(PON)-1 activity and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in patients with Cytotoxin-associated antigen(CagA)-positive and negative Helicobacter pylori strains. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study group included a total of 134 individuals, of whom 103 were H. pylori positive, and 31 were H. pylori negative. Five biopsies were collected from each patient for histological examination two from the antrum, two from the corpus, and one from the incisura angularis. The presence of H. pylori was determined using a modified Gram staining protocol. Peripheral blood was collected from each patient to determine levels of triglyceride, TC, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. IgG antibodies against CagA protein were analyzed by enzyme immunoassays. PON-1 activity was measured by colorimetric method. Carotid intima-media thickness and atherogenic plaques were measured using a grey scale color Doppler ultrasound. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: The right, the left and the mean CIMT were significantly higher in H. pylori (+) group versus H. pylori (-) group (p < 0.001 for all). However, the mean PON-1 concentration was significantly lower in H. pylori (+) group versus H. pylori (-) group (p < 0.001). The right, the left and the mean CIMT of CagA (+) group were significantly higher than that of CagA (-) group and controls, while PON-1 concentrations of CagA (+) group were significantly lower than that of CagA (-) group and controls (for all p = 0.0001). The right, the left and the mean CIMT of CagA (-) group were significantly higher than that of the control group, while the mean PON-1 concentration were significantly lower (for all p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Decreased PON-1 activity may be an etiopathogenetic factor in increased atherosclerosis in patients with H. pylori infection, especially in those infected with the CagA positive strain.