Frequency of Dyslipidemia and Associated Factors Among Patients with Helicobacter pylori Infection Attending an Academic Referral Center in Northern Iran
Keywords:
Helicobacter pylori, Dyslipidemia, Hyperlipidemias, Cholesterol, Cardiovascular DiseasesAbstract
Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common chronic bacterial infections worldwide and, beyond mucosal gastroduodenal pathology, has been linked to systemic extra-gastrointestinal manifestations including altered serum lipid homeostasis and accelerated atherogenesis. Dyslipidemia is a major modifiable risk factor for ischemic heart and cerebrovascular disease. To determine the frequency of dyslipidemia and analyze its association with demographic, clinical and lifestyle variables among patients with H. pylori infection attending the Razi Educational-Medical Center in Rasht, Northern Iran. This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 200 patients with confirmed H. pylori infection (established by histopathology of endoscopic gastric biopsies) during 2021-2022. Demographic data, anthropometric parameters (BMI), lifestyle variables (smoking), chronic comorbidities and fasting serum lipid profile (total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG], HDL-C and LDL-C) were extracted from clinical records and the laboratory server. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 26 using the Chi-square test, independent t-test and Fisher's exact test at a significance level of P<0.05. Of the 200 patients studied, 137 (68.5%) had dyslipidemia and 63 (31.5%) did not. The mean age was 59.72 +/- 16.84 years; 87 patients (43.5%) were male and 113 (56.5%) were female. Mean TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C were 185.08 +/- 28.41, 136.06 +/- 46.11, 48.79 +/- 8.41 and 118.15 +/- 24.36 mg/dL, respectively. Applying NCEP-ATP III criteria, elevated LDL-C was present in 118 patients (95% CI: 61.9%-74.6%). Age, sex, occupation, BMI, smoking and comorbidities were not significantly associated with dyslipidemia (P>0.05), whereas a positive family history of dyslipidemia showed a significant association (P=0.017). Dyslipidemia was highly prevalent (68.5%) among patients with H. pylori infection in this Northern Iranian referral center, supporting a possible association between the infection and altered lipid metabolism. Classical demographic factors were not independently associated, highlighting the possible direct pro-atherogenic role of chronic H. pylori infection.
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