Effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

We examined the effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication on lipids and apolipoproteins in 87 patients with duodenal ulcers. A significant increase was observed in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (+24.7%, p <0.001), apolipoprotein AI (+9.0%, p <0.001), and apolipoprotein AII (+11.7%, p <0.001) after eradication. Minor increases occurred in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B, whereas low-density lipoprotein cholesterol remained unchanged. Our results suggest that chronic H. pylori infection reduces plasma levels of HDL cholesterol and that eradication improves the lipoprotein pattern.