A meta-analysis published in the Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology confirmed a correlation between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and celiac disease. H. pylori infection may be a protective factor in patients with celiac disease. However, the causality could not be elucidated. Researchers undertook this study for quantifying the association between H. pylori and celiac disease. Furthermore, the study also determined the effect of H. pylori on the classification and symptoms of celiac disease.

Databases like PubMed, EMBASE, and MEDICINE were explored to find out the relevant studies. The statistical data of articles that fulfilled the needs were collated and extracted. Overall, 25 papers and 1,41,355 subjects were recruited. The findings indicated that the H. pylori infection rate of celiac disease people was 0.57 times higher compared to controls (OR = 0.57), while statistical differences were also noted in the subgroups of adults (OR = 0.63) and children (OR = 0.53).

Moreover, people having a celiac disease with H. pylori were more likely to have symptoms of abdominal pain (OR = 2.5), diarrhea (OR = 1.56), and distension (OR = 2.75). However, H. pylori have no effect on the classification of celiac diseases. An illustration of a causal role of H. pylori infection in celiac disease in future prospective studies might have pivotal therapeutic implications.