The Association betweenHelicobacter pyloriInfection and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Korean Adult Male

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is an emerging risk factor for various extragastrointestinal disorders including atherosclerosis. However, the role of H. pylori infection in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis remains controversial, and the relationship between H. pylori infection and subclinical atherosclerosis has not been fully investigated. This study examined the association between current H. pylori infection and subclinical atherosclerosis by using coronary artery calcium score (CACS), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and ankle brachial index (ABI) as subclinical atherosclerosis indicators. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of Korean adult men who underwent a health checkup between January 2011 and December 2013, including examination for H. pylori infection coupled with either CACS (n=384) or baPWV and ABI (n=190). Results: In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, the association between H. pylori infection and binary CACS was not significant (P=0.523; odds ratio, 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35–1.71). The multivariate linear regression analysis did not express a significant association between H. pylori infection and baPWV (P=0.971; β, -0.76; 95% CI, -41.80 to 40.28) or ABI (P=0.334; β, 0.011; 95% CI, -0.011 to 0.033). Conclusion: Our cross-sectional study does not support the pathogenetic association between current H. pylori infection and subclinical atherosclerosis.