Immunity Markers in Patients with Helicobacter pylori Infection: Effect of Eradication

Background. Helicobacter pylori is a microorganism able to stimulate a robust inflammatory and systemic immune response. Aim. The aim of our study was to evaluate autoimmune markers in dyspeptic patients positive for H. pylori infection compared to a control group of non-H. pylori-infected subjects. The kinetics of cryoglobulins and autoantibodies was evaluated after treatment of the infection. Patients and methods. Dyspeptic patients with active H. pylori infection and age- and sex-matched healthy H. pylori- negative controls were studied. Markers of immunity were compared, in H. pylori-infected patients before, 6 months and 1 year after the end of therapy. Results were also compared between those with and without successful eradication therapy. Results. Eighty-six individual were entered (43 H. pylori-infected). H. pylori-infected patients had higher levels of IgG and/or IgA and/or IgM (22/43 versus 2/43). Circulating immune complexes and cryoglobulins were detected in patients more often than controls (p