Correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and Crohn's disease: a meta-analysis.

Objective: Researches on the potential correlation between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and Crohn's disease (CD) are controversial. This study aims to clarify their correlation and provide a new theoretical basis for uncovering the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

Materials And Methods: Relevant literature has been searched reporting the correlation between Hp infection and susceptibility to CD in Medline, PubMed, and Cochrane Collaboration database published from 1991 to 2019. Data of the eligible literature were extracted and analyzed for the OR and the corresponding 95% CI using the Review Manager (RevMan) software.

Results: A total of 20 pieces of literature involving 2055 cases of CD patients and 3442 cases of controls were enrolled. Hp infection rate in CD patients and controls was 30.6% and 42.7%, respectively. There was a significant difference in Hp infection rate between CD patients and controls [OR=0.42, 95% CI (0.33-0.54), p<0.00001], showing a negative correlation. Heterogeneity existed between the included studies.

Conclusions: Hp infection is a protective factor for CD. However, heterogeneity and publication bias may restrict the accuracy of the conclusions. It is necessary to further explore the potential influence of the Hp infection on CD.