<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Seroprevalence in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Its Relation to Pulmonary Function Tests

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a slowly progressive condition characterized by poorly reversible airflow limitation that is associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lung. It has been shown that there is a seroepidemiological association of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection with many inflammatory conditions. Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate seroprevalence in Hp patients with COPD and to determine whether there is an association between Hp infection and COPD. Methods: Forty-nine voluntary patients with COPD and 50 healthy control subjects of similar age and sex were included in the study. Hp-specific IgG was measured with a commercially available kit from venous blood samples. Results: Serum levels of Hp-specific IgG and Hp IgG seropositivity were significantly higher in the patients with COPD than in the control subjects (p < 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively). In addition, when the patients with COPD were grouped according to Hp IgG seropositivity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) values were lower in the seropositive patients compared to seronegative patients, and Hp serum IgG levels were correlated with FEV₁ values, which indicate the severity of COPD, in the COPD group (r = –0.306, p = 0.032). Conclusion: The results suggest that there is an association between Hp infection and COPD, and Hp IgG levels are correlated with the severity of COPD.

<I>HELICOBACTER PYLORI</I> INFECTION IN NEVER-SMOKING MALE PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE AND ITS RELATION TO LUNG FUNCTION

“…In our previous study in which we investigated the impact of H. pylori infection on lung function and severity of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in subjects with allergic asthma, we did not register significant difference in the mean values of measured spirometric parameters between seropositive and seronegative allergic asthma patients (Minov et al, 2011). In the study conducted by Gencer et al (2007) mentioned above, they reported significantly lower FEV 1 values in seropositive as compared to seronegative COPD patients. The difference between these groups regarding FVC and FEV 1 /FVC was statistically non-significant (Gencer et al, 2007).…”

“…Significantly higher seropositivity to H. pylori was detected in several studies which investigated the relationship between COPD and H. pylori infection. In the study including COPD patients and healthy controls matched by sex and age, Gencer et al (2007) reported significantly higher prevalence of H. pylori seropositive subjects among COPD patients with no significant difference in gender, age and smoking status between seropositive and seronegative COPD patients. Similarly, in the study including COPD patients and age-and sex-matched controls, Roussos et al (2005) reported significantly higher prevalence of H. pylori infection, as well as significantly higher prevalence of CagA-positive H. pylori infection in COPD patients.…”

“…In the study conducted by Gencer et al (2007) mentioned above, they reported significantly lower FEV 1 values in seropositive as compared to seronegative COPD patients. The difference between these groups regarding FVC and FEV 1 /FVC was statistically non-significant (Gencer et al, 2007). On the other side, Roussos et al (2005) reported no statistically significant difference regarding the spirometric values between H. pylori seropositive and seronegative COPD patients.…”

Helicobacter pyloriseroprevalence in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

“…CagA H. pylori strains play a role in gastroduodenal ulcers and the development of gastric cancer. H. pylori infection was recently demonstrated to protect against gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and reflux esophagitis [6], to be associated with several extragastric disorders [7] and to play a role in respiratory disorders, such as chronic bronchitis and lung cancer [4,8,9]. A protective function in bronchial asthma, rhinitis and T-helper cell type 2 (Th-2) driven disorders in general has been proposed [10].…”

Helicobacter Pylori Infections in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

“…In the first of two case-control studies performed in Greece investigating this relationship, following cohort analysis of 144 bronchitis patients and 120 control cases, H. pylori seropositivity was found to be statistically significantly higher in bronchitis patients compared with the control group [22]. Gencer et al [23] also showed that H. pylori IgG levels may be correlated with COPD severity. In our study, the H. pylori frequency was found to be higher in COPD patients (72%) than the control group (65%).…”