Review: Helicobacter pylori and extragastric diseases

Abstract

Peptic ulcer disease and several gastrointestinal diseases have been directly related to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. The extraintestinal symptoms of H. pylori, as more data suggests, may be linked to disease states in various organ systems. Numerous illnesses from the hematologic, cardiac, metabolic, neurologic, and dermatologic systems are connected to H. pylori infection. This article’s goal is to give a succinct overview of the latest information supporting or disputing the connections between H. pylori and its alleged extraintestinal symptoms. In the past year, some intriguing new information has emerged on the involvement of Helicobacter pylori infection in the emergence of extra-gastric illnesses. Major cardiovascular events, hypertension, atherosclerosis and diabetes have all been linked to H. pylori. On the other hand, it was demonstrated that there is a correlation between H. pylori and other extra-gastric digestive diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, coeliac disease, or Barrett’s esophagus. Patients with chronic urticaria were shown to have higher H. pylori prevalence, indicating that the inflammation brought on by the infection may be the cause of this condition. Different correlations have been found with neurological disorders and with other systemic disorders (thyroid disease, osteoporosis, thrombocytopenia, anemia, asthma, systemic sclerosis, pre-eclampsia and erectile dysfunction).

Keywords

• helicobacter pylori
• atherosclerosis
• coronary feart disease
• esophageal disorders
• cancer
• non-alcoholic-fatty liver disease
• diabetes
• parkinson’s disease
• alzheimer’s disease.