"Helicobacter Eradication Therapy Increases Women's 'Good Cholesterol'"

Seoul National University Bundang Hospital Professor Kim Nayoung's Team
Increase in Female HDL-C One Year After Antimicrobial Treatment

Professor Kim Na-young (left), Department of Gastroenterology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, and Specialist Park Jae-hyung, Department of Gastroenterology.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] A study has found that eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori increases HDL cholesterol levels in women. HDL cholesterol is known as the so-called "good cholesterol" because it transports excess cholesterol to the liver and cleans plaques (deposits) accumulated in blood vessels.

The research team led by Professor Kim Na-young of the Department of Gastroenterology at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital (first author: Park Jae-hyung, gastroenterology specialist) announced on the 27th that this was confirmed after tracking and analyzing 1,521 patients who underwent eradication therapy.

According to the research team, among the patients who received eradication therapy, women showed an increase in HDL cholesterol levels by 3.06 mg/dL (±8.55) one year after treatment, which contrasted sharply with a decrease of 5.78 mg/dL (±9.22) in the female non-eradication group after one year.

On the other hand, no significant increase in HDL cholesterol levels was observed in men, and body mass index (BMI) tended to increase one year after eradication. The research team explained that this is presumed to be a positive effect where indigestion symptoms improve after Helicobacter eradication, leading to weight returning to normal.

Recently, reports have continued that Helicobacter pylori promotes the production and secretion of inflammatory cytokines in the body, which can cause metabolic diseases such as diabetes and dyslipidemia. The research team emphasized the significance of this study in proving through large-scale clinical data that metabolic factors actually improved in patients who underwent eradication therapy.

Additionally, this study is rare and valuable in that it revealed that the improvement effect on metabolic factors after eradication therapy differs by sex. The academic field that seeks to identify differences between men and women in specific diseases and, based on this, explore fundamental causes and treatments is called "sex-specific medicine," which has been gaining attention domestically and internationally recently.

Professor Kim said, "Women with metabolic diseases such as dyslipidemia should consider Helicobacter testing and treatment more actively," adding, "Based on this study, we will further clarify the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and coronary artery disease."

This study was published in the latest issue of the SCI(E)-level English journal Gut and Liver, published by the Korean Society of Gastroenterology.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.