Does Helicobacter pylori infection play a role in iron deficiency anemia? A meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE
To perform a meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA).


METHODS
A defined search strategy was used to search Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Premedline and Healthstar. Odds ratio (OR) was used to evaluate observational epidemiology studies, and weighted mean difference (WMD) was used to demonstrate the difference between control and intervention groups.


RESULTS
Fifteen observational studies and 5 RCTs were identified and used for calculation. The pooled OR for observational studies was 2.22 (95% CI: 1.52-3.24, P < 0.0001). The WMD for hemoglobin (HB) was 4.06 g/L (95% CI: -2.57-10.69, P = 0.01), and the WMD for serum ferritin (SF) was 9.47 mug/L (95% CI: -0.50-19.43, P < 0.0001). Results were heterogeneous for all comparisons.


CONCLUSIONS
This meta-analysis on observational studies suggests an association between H. pylori and IDA. In RCTs, eradication of H. pylori can improve HB and SF levels but not significantly.
Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 1630 Dongfang Road, Shanghai 200127, China.
Xin-Hua
XH
Qu
Xiao-Lu
XL
Huang
Ping
P
Xiong
Cui-Ying
CY
Zhu
You-Liang
YL
Huang
Lun-Gen
LG
Lu
Xu
X
Sun
Lan
L
Rong
Liang
L
Zhong
Da-Yu
DY
Sun
Hai
H
Lin
Ming-Ci
MC
Cai
Zhi-Wei
ZW
Chen
Bing
B
Hu
Lian-Ming
LM
Wu
Yi-Bin
YB
Jiang
Wei-Li
WL
Yan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins