Relationship between active Helicobacter pylori infection and risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, a cross-sectional hospital-based study in a Sub-Saharan setting

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundChronic inflammation has been reported as one of the novel coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors. Knowing thatHelicobacter pylori(H. pylori) provokes a local inflammation, the relationship betweenH. pyloriinfection and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has received considerable attention. However, the attempt to demonstrate the association betweenH. pyloriand specific cardiovascular disease risk factors is always a challenging issue due to the conflicting reports in the literatures.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional study of 363 consecutive dyspeptic subjects in three reference health facilities in Cameroon from October 2020 to October 2021. Each participation gave a written consent and the study was approved by the local Ethical Committee. Check-up for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as dyslipidemia-related parameters, obesity-related parameter, high blood pressure as well asH. pyloridetection was done for each participant. Data was analyzed using SSPS statistical package.ResultsHelicobacter pyloriinfection was significantly associated with higher total cholesterol level (OR: 2.3324, p = 0.0002) and higher LDL cholesterol level (OR: 2.3096, p = 0.0006). The crude OR ofH. pyloristatus on the prevalence of high body mass index (BMI) was 1.0813 (p = 0.7300) and the adjusted OR for confounding factors was 1.1785 (p = 0.5095). The strength of the association betweenH. pyloriinfection and blood pressure, shows an OR of 1.3807 (p = 0.2991), 1.0060 (p = 0.9855) and 1.4646 (p = 0.2694) for diastolic pressure, hypertension and high heart rate respectively, while that of systolic pressure was 0.8135 (p = 0.4952).H. pyloriinfection is associated with dyslipidemia in our milieu.