Omid Mirmosayyeb; Mahdi Barzegar; Nasim Nehzat; Soroush Najdaghi; Behnaz Ansari; Vahid Shaygannejad
Abstract
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common autoimmune inflammatory disease in the central nervous system (CNS) without exact pathology. Environmental factors such as infections have a causal or protective role in MS. Helicobacter pylori (HP) is one of the infections in digestive diseases and previous ...
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Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common autoimmune inflammatory disease in the central nervous system (CNS) without exact pathology. Environmental factors such as infections have a causal or protective role in MS. Helicobacter pylori (HP) is one of the infections in digestive diseases and previous studies reported controversial findings of this infection role in MS. So, we conducted this study to assess the frequency of HP infection in patients with MS in comparison to the healthy population. Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken between 2015 and 2019. 191 participants including 58 patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), 57 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), 39 patients with secondary progressive MS (SPMS), and 39 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were tested for the presence of HP immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies (Abs) in their serum sample. Results: The frequency of HP IgG seropositivity in patients with SPMS was significantly higher than patients with CIS [Odds ratio (OR): 6.333, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.522-15.906, P < 0.001], patients with RRMS (OR: 4.583, 95% CI: 1.842-11.407, P = 0.001), and HCs (OR: 8.485, 95% CI: 3.058-23.540, P < 0.001). We did not find a significant difference among other study groups regarding IgG seropositivity. No significant difference among groups regarding HP IgM seropositivity was evident. On univariate model, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score (OR: 1.038, 95% CI: 1.038-1.460, P = 0.017) and SPMS (OR: 4.583, 95% CI: 1.842-11.407, P = 0.001) were predictor for HP IgG seropositivity. On multivariate model, only SPMS had higher risk for HP IgG seropositivity compared to RRMS (OR: 5.554, 95% CI: 1.327-23.253, P = 0.019). We did not find a significant association between clinical and demographic variables with HP IgM seropositivity. Conclusion: Based on our findings, progressive MS and HP infection may have association. Further longitudinal studies with large sample size are needed to determine the role of HP infection in MS.
Mehri Salari; Mahdi Barzegar; Masoud Etemadifar; Omid Mirmosayyeb
Volume 17, Issue 2 , April 2018, , Pages 71-77
Abstract
Background: Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, has been related with weight loss and energy balance. Some studies showed that leptin might be playing an important role in satiety, energy balance and immune response. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum ...
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Background: Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, has been related with weight loss and energy balance. Some studies showed that leptin might be playing an important role in satiety, energy balance and immune response. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum leptin level in patients with PD and its association with clinical severity.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 35 patients with PD and 51 healthy controls (HCs), matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI), were recruited. Serum leptin level was measured and clinical characteristics and demographic data of patients were recorded.Results: The mean age of patients with PD and HCs were 59.80 ± 11.40 and 62.18 ± 11.60 years, respectively. Serum leptin concentration was not statistically different between patients with PD and HCs (21.1 ± 23.1 ng/ml vs 25.9 ± 21.8 ng/ml, P = 0.280). There was no relation between plasma level of leptin and clinical severity of patients with PD.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that serum level of leptin is neither implicated in the pathogenesis of PD, nor decreases as disease progresses.
