Papamichael KX, Papaioannou G, Karga H, Roussos A, Mantzaris GJ. Helicobacter pylori infection and endocrine disorders: Is there a link? World J Gastroenterol 2009; 15(22): 2701-2707 [PMID: 19522019 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.15.2701]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Konstantinos X Papamichael, MD, PhD, First Department of Gastroenterology, Evaggelismos Hospital, 45-47 Ypsilantou street, Kolonaki-10676 Athens, Greece. kpapamdoc@yahoo.gr
Article-Type of This Article
Review
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World J Gastroenterol. Jun 14, 2009; 15(22): 2701-2707 Published online Jun 14, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.2701
Helicobacter pylori infection and endocrine disorders: Is there a link?
Konstantinos X Papamichael, Garyphallia Papaioannou, Helen Karga, Anastasios Roussos, Gerassimos J Mantzaris
Konstantinos X Papamichael, Anastasios Roussos, Gerassimos J Mantzaris, First Department of Gastroenterology, Evaggelismos Hospital, Kolonaki-10676 Athens, Greece
Garyphallia Papaioannou, Helen Karga, B’ Department of Endocrinology, Alexandra Hospital, Vas. Sofias & Lourou-115 28 Athens, Greece
Author contributions: Papamichael KX, Mantzaris GJ and Karga H wrote the paper; Papaioannou G and Roussos A undertook the acquisition, analysis and interpretation of the data.
Correspondence to: Konstantinos X Papamichael, MD, PhD, First Department of Gastroenterology, Evaggelismos Hospital, 45-47 Ypsilantou street, Kolonaki-10676 Athens, Greece. kpapamdoc@yahoo.gr
Telephone: +30-210-7201609
Fax: +30-210-7239716
Received: March 23, 2009 Revised: May 13, 2009 Accepted: May 20, 2009 Published online: June 14, 2009
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection is a leading world-wide infectious disease as it affects more than half of the world population and causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastric malignancies. The infection elicits a chronic cellular inflammatory response in the gastric mucosa. However, the effects of this local inflammation may not be confined solely to the digestive tract but may spread to involve extra-intestinal tissues and/or organs. Indeed, H pylori infection has been epidemiologically linked to extra-digestive conditions and diseases. In this context, it has been speculated that H pylori infection may be responsible for various endocrine disorders, such as autoimmune thyroid diseases, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity, osteoporosis and primary hyperparathyroidism. This is a review of the relationship between H pylori infection and these endocrine disorders.
