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G Bode

Publications and source records attributed to G Bode.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Infection with Helicobacter pylori is not a major independent risk factor for stable coronary heart disease: lack of a role of cytotoxin-associated protein A-positive strains and absence of a systemic inflammatory response.

BACKGROUND: There is controversy about the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and manifestations of coronary heart disease (CHD), the potential role of the more virulent H pylori strains, and whether or not a positive serostatus is related to increased levels of markers of systemic inflammation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assessed the prevalence of an infection with H pylori and in particular the anti-cytotoxin-associated protein A (CagA) antibody response of the more virulent strains expressing CagA in 312 patients with stable CHD and in 479 control subjects. Serological prevalence of H pylori infection (IgG titer) was significantly higher in patients than in control subjects after adjustment for age and sex (44.2% versus 31.3%, P<0.001). After adjustment for various covariates in multiple logistic regression, the odds ratio (OR) for CHD was 1.3 (95% CI, 0.9 to 1.9) given a positive IgG serostatus. The prevalence of CagA-positive strains was 27.9% in patients and 21.7% in control subjects (P=0.076 adjusted for age and sex). The OR for CHD in the fully adjusted model was 1.1 (95% CI, 0.7 to 1.7). None of the inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, plasma viscosity, or leukocytes) was significantly different according to serostatus. CONCLUSIONS: In this large case-control study, the association of H pylori infection with stable CHD was strongly reduced and was no longer statistically significant after controlling for potential confounders. We also found no independent association between the more virulent strains and CHD. In addition, a positive serostatus was not associated with a systemic inflammatory response. Thus, these data do not support the hypothesis that infection with H pylori might be a major risk factor for stable CHD.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Inverse graded relation between alcohol consumption and active infection with Helicobacter pylori.

Alcoholic beverages are known to have strong antibacterial activity. It is unclear, however, to what degree their consumption affects colonization of the human stomach with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, a risk factor of various chronic diseases. The authors assessed the relation between alcohol consumption and active infection with H. pylori in a cross-sectional study among employees of a health insurance company and their household members (n = 425) in southern Germany. Quantitative information on alcohol consumption by beverage type and other factors that were known or suspected to be related to infection status was collected by a standardized questionnaire, and active infection was measured by the 13C-urea breath test. After control for confounding factors, there was a monotonic inverse graded relation between alcohol consumption and H. pylori infection (p for trend = 0.017). The odds ratio of infection among subjects who consumed more than 75 g of alcohol per week compared with subjects who did not drink alcohol was 0.31 (95 percent confidence interval 0.12-0.81). The inverse relation with H. pylori infection was stronger for alcohol consumed in the form of wine than for alcohol from beer. Notwithstanding its cross-sectional design, this study seems to support the hypothesis that alcohol consumption, particularly wine consumption, may reduce the odds of active infection with H. pylori.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Active infection with Helicobacter pylori in healthy couples.

The mode of spread of Helicobacter pylori infection is subject to ongoing debate. Recent studies among patients with gastrointestinal disorders suggest a potential role of conjugal transmission. In this study, the clustering of H. pylori infection was assessed among 110 employees of a health insurance company and their partners. Active infection with H. pylori was measured by the 13C-urea breath test. Information on potential confounders was collected by a standardized questionnaire. Overall, 16 employees (14.5%) and 24 partners (21.8%) were infected. While only 7% (6/86) of employees with an uninfected partner were infected, this applied to 42% (10/24) of employees with an infected partner. A very strong relation between partners' infection status persisted after control for age and other potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio, 7.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-26.7). Furthermore, the risk of infection increased with the number of years lived with an infected partner. These results support the hypothesis of a major role of spouse-to-spouse transmission of H. pylori infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Helicobacter pylori in dental plaque: a comparison of different PCR primer sets.

This study was designed to compare different primer sets for PCR analysis of H. pylori in the same series of 40 dental plaque samples. Three pairs of primers, HPU1/HPU2, HP1/HP2, and EHC-U/EHC-L, directed to the urease A gene, 16S rRNA gene, or 860-bp DNA of H. pylori, respectively, were used. Our results demonstrate that EHC-L/EHC-U were more specific and sensitive for H. pylori added to saliva or dental plaque than HPU1/HPU2 and HP1/HP2. The detection rates for H. pylori DNA in dental plaque samples from randomly selected adult patients from the Dental Clinic of the University of Ulm were 26.5% (9/34) for HPU1/HPU2, 78.9% (30/38) for HP1/HP2, and 100% (40/40) for EHC-U/EHC-L (P < 0.001). Nested PCR using primers directed to the 860-bp DNA of H. pylori further confirmed the presence of H. pylori DNA (40/40) in all these samples. Our results indicate that primers EHC-U/EHC-L are to be recommended for PCR detection of H. pylori in the oral cavity.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Helicobacter pylori among preschool children and their parents: evidence of parent-child transmission.

This study assessed the role of parental infection status in the transmission of Helicobacter pylori infection in a large population-based sample of preschool-aged children. The subjects, who lived in Ulm, Germany, and in two nearby communities, were screened for school fitness between January and July 1997. Their H. pylori infection status was determined by 13C-urea breath test. Of 1522 eligible children, 1221 (80.2%) participated in the study. Crude prevalence of H. pylori infection in children was 11.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.5-13.3) and 36.4% in their parents (95% CI, 33.5-39.4). The crude odds ratio (OR) for H. pylori infection of children whose mothers were infected was 16.5 (95% CI, 8.9-30.8) and 7.9 after adjustment for potential confounders (95% CI, 4.0-15.7). The crude OR if the child's father was infected was 7.8 (95% CI, 2. 5-24.2) and 3.8 after adjustment for potential confounders (except maternal infection) (95% CI, 0.8-19.1). The results suggest that infected parents, especially infected mothers, may have a key role in transmission of H. pylori within families.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Cytomegalovirus infection and coronary heart disease: results of a german case-control study.

This case-control study investigated whether previous infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) was associated with coronary heart disease (CHD). In total, 312 patients of German nationality aged 40-68 years who had a coronary stenosis of >50% of the luminal diameter were recruited for study. Controls (n=479) were voluntary blood donors. CMV serology was performed to determine presence of specific CMV antibodies (IgG, IgM, IgA ELA test; Medac, Hamburg, Germany). Rheologic and inflammatory markers were determined. The prevalence of specific IgG antibodies against CMV was 54.5% in cases and 49.9% in controls (P=.116). The odds ratio for CHD was 1.21 (95% confidence interval, 0.84-1.75) given a positive serostatus of specific IgG antibodies after adjustment for covariates. With the exception of C-reactive protein in controls, none of the rheologic or inflammatory markers was associated with CMV serostatus. Thus, serologic evidence of previous infection with CMV was not a major risk factor for CHD in this population.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

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Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Alcohol consumption and Helicobacter pylori infection: results from the German National Health and Nutrition Survey.

Alcohol has strong antimicrobial activity and stimulates gastric acid secretion. Alcohol consumption may therefore compromise the living conditions of Helicobacter pylori in the stomach. We assessed the relation of alcohol consumption with H. pylori infection among 1,785 participants ages 18-88 in the German National Health and Nutrition Survey. Detailed information on dietary and lifestyle habits was obtained in personal interviews using a standardized food frequency questionnaire. Serum samples were analyzed for H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Overall prevalence of H. pylori infection was 39.2%. There was a clear inverse dose-response-relation between reported alcohol consumption and H. pylori infection. The relation persisted after control for potential confounding factors. The adjusted prevalence ratios (95% confidence intervals) for H. pylori infection among persons who consumed up to 10, 10 to 20, and more than 20 gm of alcohol per day compared with non-drinkers were 0.93 (0.77-1.13), 0.82 (0.65-1.04), and 0.71 (0.55-0.92). The inverse relation between alcohol consumption and H. pylori infection was even stronger when individuals with an indication of a recent change of alcohol consumption were excluded from the analysis. These findings support the hypothesis that moderate alcohol consumption may facilitate spontaneous elimination of H. pylori infection among adults.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

History of antibiotic treatment and prevalence of H. pylori infection among children: results of a population-based study.

We investigated the association of commonly prescribed antibiotics with the prevalence of current Helicobacter pylori infection among children. All children who were screened in 1996 for school fitness by physicians of the Public Health Service in Ulm, a city in the south of Germany, were invited to participate in the study. Infection status was determined by 13C-urea breath test. In addition, the parents of the children were asked to fill out a standardized questionnaire. Nine hundred forty-five out of the 1201 eligible children participated in the study (response rate = 79%). The children were aged 5 to 8 years. Seventeen children who were receiving antibiotics at the day of the breath test were excluded from the analysis. Overall, for 683 children (73.6%) a prior usage of antibiotics was reported. Prevalence of H. pylori infection was significantly lower in children with reported antibiotic usage (odds ratio = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.27-0.76 after adjustment for confounders). Our results suggest that information on prior usage of antibiotics should always be considered in studies evaluating prevalence and risk factors of H. pylori infection in children.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1998

Active infection with Helicobacter pylori in an asymptomatic population of middle aged to elderly people.

The study objective was to investigate prevalence and determinants of current Helicobacter pylori infection in an asymptomatic population of middle-aged to elderly people. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 337 participants of a general education programme of the University of Ulm aged 50-85 years. Prevalence of infection as determined by means of the [13C]urea breath test was 34.8% (95% CI 29.6-40.3%); overall, 33.8% (95% CI 23.0-46.0) in the age group 50-59 years, 32.4% (95% CI 25.4-39.9) in the age group 60-69 years and 41.0% (95% CI 30.0-52.7) in the age group 70-85 years. Duration of school education of the father, sharing a bed with parents or siblings during childhood, and the area in which participants had grown up were independent determinants of current infection status in a multivariable analysis. We conclude that the prevalence of current H. pylori infection in healthy elderly subjects may not be as high as seroprevalence studies have suggested. Socioeconomic characteristics of childhood living conditions appear to be important determinants of infection status even at older age.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Variation in the 13C-urea breath test value by nationality in Helicobacter pylori-infected children.

BACKGROUND: The 13C-urea breath (13C-UBT) test value is (semi-)quantitatively related to Helicobacter pylori density in the gastric antrum, and the value correlates with the grade of gastritis. The aim of this study was to assess variation of the 13C-urea breath test value by sociodemographic factors in H. pylori-positive children. METHODS: The analysis was performed on 127 asymptomatic children (aged 5-7 years) who were identified as H. pylori-positive with the 13C-UBT test in a large population-based epidemiologic study in the city of Ulm (southern Germany). The parents of the children were asked to fill out a standardized questionnaire about sociodemographic data. RESULTS: Forty-two infected children (33.1%) were of German nationality, 47 children (37.0%) were of Turkish and 38 children (29.9%) were of another nationality. Turkish children had a significantly higher 13C-UBT value (geometric mean = 27.2%) than German children (16.7%) or children with another nationality (19.3%) (P < 0.001). Girls had a trend towards higher values than boys (P = 0.058 after adjustment for nationality). Body mass index, education of the parents, and prior use of antibiotics were unrelated to the extent of the 13C-UBT. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified significant variation in the extent of the 13C value by nationality among H. pylori-infected children. Further studies are needed to elucidate the causes and potential consequences of these variations.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1998

The individual and joint contributions of Helicobacter pylori infection and family history to the risk for peptic ulcer disease.

Family history of peptic ulcer and infection with Helicobacter pylori have been identified as major risk factors for peptic ulcer disease. It is unclear, however, to what degree their impacts are independent of each other. This question was addressed in a cross-sectional study among 299 consecutive out-patients (25-54 years old) of a general practitioner. Adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for gastroscopically verified peptic ulcer disease were 3.8 (1.4-10.1) for persons with H. pylori infection, 8.4 (2.9-24.1) for persons with a family history of ulcer, and 29.5 (6.1-143.9) for persons with both risk factors compared with persons without these risk factors. These results suggest strong, multiplicative contributions of both factors to the risk for peptic ulcer disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Prevalence and determinants of Helicobacter pylori infection in preschool children: a population-based study from Germany.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is among the most common infections in humans and has been recognized as major cause of various gastroduodenal diseases. There is limited knowledge, however, on the prevalence and determinants of this infection in children. We addressed these issues in a population-based cross-sectional study in Southern Germany. METHODS: Study subjects were all preschool children in Ulm, a city in the South of Germany, who were screened for school fitness by physicians of the public health service in 1996. Infection status was determined by 13C-urea breath test. In addition, the parents of the children were asked to fill out a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: In total, 945 out of the 1201 eligible preschool children participated in the study (response rate = 79%). The children were aged 5-8 years. The majority were of German nationality (72.6%). Overall, 127 children (13.4%) were infected with H. pylori. Nationality, place of residence in the first year of life and duration of living in Germany were strongly associated with H. pylori infection status. The prevalence varied from 4.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.3-6.8%) in children with German nationality who were born in Germany or had lived in Germany since their first year of life to 66.7% (95% CI: 29.9-92.5%) in the children with Turkish nationality who came to Germany after the first year of life. CONCLUSION: Our results showed a large variation in prevalence of H. pylori infection in children living in the same geographical area according to nationality. They indicate an association between living conditions in early childhood and H. pylori infection and indicate that H. pylori associated morbidity may evolve very differently in population subgroups living in the same area.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Pets are not a risk factor for Helicobacter pylori infection in young children: results of a population-based study in Southern Germany.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori may have multiple routes of transmission. It is unclear, however, whether the agent is also zoonotic and therefore transmitted from an animal reservoir. AIMS: The aim of this population-based study was to assess the relationship of exposure to pets and H. pylori infection among children in a population-based sample in Ulm, a city in the South of Germany. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All children of German nationality who were to attend first grade in the school year 1996/1997 were included in the study. The 13C-urea breath test was used to determine active infection status. In addition the parents filled out a questionnaire to provide information about pets in the household as well as living conditions and socioeconomic factors of the family. RESULTS: Of 927 eligible preschool children 685 (74%) participated in the study. Prevalence of infection was 6.3%. Infection with H. pylori was not positively associated with contact with pets in general (p = 0.720) or to a specific kind of animal in bivariate and multivariable analyses as evaluated by means of logistic regression. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that pets in the household are not a risk factor for H. pylori infection among children in this population.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Dyspepsia in relation to Helicobacter pylori infection and psychosocial work stress in white collar employees.

OBJECTIVE: We undertook an investigation of the relationship between psychosocial work stress and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection with dyspepsia. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 189 employees of a health insurance company in the city of Ulm, Germany. RESULTS: A clear association between work-related psychosocial factors and the occurrence of dyspeptic symptoms during the past 3 months was evident. Persons who were considered to have a critical style of coping with work demands suffered more often from dyspeptic symptoms. Current infection with H. pylori was not associated with prevalence of dyspeptic symptoms. These results were also confirmed by adjustment for age, gender, smoking status, education, and use of antiinflammatory drugs within the past 3 months, by means of multivariate analysis. The odds ratio (OR) for having a dyspepsia symptom score in the upper tertile versus the 1st or 2nd was 3.22 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56-6.65), given that the employee was considered to have a critical style of coping with work demands. The OR for having a dyspepsia symptom score in the upper tertile given H. pylori infection was 1.23 (95% CI, 0.44-3.46), indicating no association of current H. pylori infection with dyspeptic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: A critical style of coping with work demands may be an important determinant for dyspepsia-like symptoms. Therefore, in the absence of an underlying disease, specific intervention programs should be targeted at the behavior of the affected individual (e.g., stress-reduction programs) rather than on the treatment of specific symptoms or infection with H. pylori.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1998

Helicobacter pylori and abdominal symptoms: a population-based study among preschool children in southern Germany.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relation of Helicobacter pylori infection with gastrointestinal symptoms in a healthy population-based sample of children. DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional study of preschool children. SETTING: Screening examination for school fitness by physicians of the Public Health Service in Ulm, a city with 100 000 inhabitants in southern Germany. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand two hundred one preschool children. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Infection status was determined by 13C-urea breath test. Information on gastrointestinal symptoms was collected from children's parents by a standardized questionnaire and integrated into a symptom score. Results. Nine hundred forty-five children participated in the study (response rate, 79%). Overall, 127 children (13.4%) were infected. H pylori infection was not positively related to specific gastrointestinal symptomatology. Infected children had even fewer symptoms when compared with uninfected children. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that H pylori infection in children is mostly asymptomatic and not associated with specific gastrointestinal symptoms.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed1998

Parental smoking and infection with Helicobacter pylori among preschool children in southern Germany.

Exposure to parental smoking is known to increase children's susceptibility to a variety of infections. We investigated the relation of parental smoking to infection with Helicobacter pylori in a population-based study among preschool children who were screened for school fitness in the city of Ulm, Germany, in 1996. Current infection with H. pylori was measured by a 13C-labeled urea breath test. Information on factors potentially related to H. pylori infection, including parental smoking in the household, was obtained from children's parents through a self-administered standardized questionnaire. Among 1,201 eligible children, 945 participated in the study (response rate = 79%). Overall prevalence of active infection was 13.7%. After adjustment for confounding factors, we found a strong positive relation between smoking by the father in the household and H. pylori infection (odds ratio = 3.7; 95% confidence interval = 2.3-6.1). By contrast, there was a strong negative relation between smoking by the mother and H. pylori infection (odds ratio = 0.4; 95% confidence interval = 0.2-0.8) that was most pronounced among children who had been breastfed. These striking patterns cannot be explained by current knowledge.

Child↗