INTRODUCTION: There is increasing evidence that infective pathogens such as 
Helicobacter pylori is linked to atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels. As an 
independent contributing factor, the CD14 receptor-lipopolysaccharide complex 
plays an important role in activating inflammatory reactions. In particular, the 
C(-260)T polymorphism in the CD14 receptor may be implicated in atherosclerotic 
disease. In this study, we investigated a possible association between H. pylori 
infection and the polymorphism of CD14, and ischemic stroke.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 125 patients with ischemic stroke and 125 age- 
and sex-matched controls were included in the study. The stroke subtype of each 
of the patients was characterized based on the underlying etiology. H. pylori 
serologic status and the CD14 genotype were determined in both patients and 
controls.
RESULTS: H. pylori seropositivity was more common in the stroke patients than in 
the controls (80.0% vs. 60.0%, P=0.001). Moreover, H. pylori seropositivity was 
more common in the stroke subtype of large artery disease (87.7%, P<0.001). The 
distribution of CD14 genotypes was as follows: patients, T/T 21.6%, C/T 63.2%, 
C/C 15.2%; controls, T/T 19.2%, C/T 57.6%, C/C 23.2%. There was no significant 
difference between these two CD14 genotype distributions.
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that H. pylori infection is a risk factor for 
ischemic stroke and that CD14 polymorphism is not.