CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS AND ASSOCIATION OF ANTITYROID ANTIBODIES IN PATIENTS WITH HELICOBACTER PYLORI INFECTION

Abstract

Helicobacter •pylori (H. pylori), this microaerophilic, spiral, gram negative bacterium which is proved to play a major rolein the • r,alt.ogenesis. of' gastric and duodenal ulcers, is now accused of sharing in the pathogenesis of many extragastrointestinal disease (NilJs.011 et al, 2000) Helicobacter pylori 'infectiqn has been related epidemiologically to different extra intestinal diseases such as rosacea (Rebora et al, 1994), ischemic heart disease (Ma;tin et al, 1995). In diabetes mellitus, the H. pylori infection has been related

to diabetic autonomic neuropathy (Pesico etal,1996). The relati between gastrointestinal pathogens and autoimmune thyroid disease has been suspected for a long time, Hashirnoto's thyroiditis and • Grave's disease appear to be• related to infection by Yersinia enterocolitica (Asari et al, 1990). Moreover, structures similar to the binding domains of thyroid hormone receptors have also been found 1, a.... in Escherichia coli and might act as a cross-reacting antigen with thyroid tissue (Aprileui et al, 1995)..