Extradigestive manifestations of Helicobacter pylori gastric infection.

In the past year, several studies have been carried out on the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and a miscellany of extradigestive diseases, such as cardiovascular, immunological, and various other pathologies. In particular, a higher prevalence of H pylori infection in patients affected by ischaemic heart disease has been described and there is growing evidence for an association between H pylori and some autoimmune diseases. Moreover, recent studies have shown that various helicobacter species have been detected in human bile; if confirmed, this finding could revise the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to diseases of the biliary tract.