Helicobacter pylori infection might be a protective factor against Parkinson’s disease

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Abstract Background: The gastrointestinal tract is not only an important component of the digestive system but also a crucial part of the body's immune system. Numerous studies have reported that gastrointestinal immunity plays a critical role in many extraintestinal diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders. However, the relationship between gastric mucosal immunity and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease(PD), remains underexplored. Methods: The rate of H. pylori infection was assessed using the 13C-Urea Breath Test (13C-UBT) in a case-control study involving 315 PD patients and a control group of 22,383 outpatients. Multivariate regression and propensity score matching (PSM) analyses were employed to adjust for confounding factors. Results: A lower H. pylori infection rate was found in PD cases compared to outpatient controls (DOB ≥ 8, 22.5% versus 27.5%, p = 0.049; DOB ≥ 4, 28.6% versus 33.9%, p = 0.046). After adjusting for confounding factors, the H. pylori infection rate remained lower in PD cases compared to controls. Conclusions: The study revealed an inverse correlation between H. pylori infection and PD, suggesting that H. pylori infection could potentially act as a protective factor against the development of PD.

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