H. pylori infection is linked with minimized risk of Barrett’s esophagus and this protective effect of H. pylori is possibly mediated by a reduction in GERD prevalence.

This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to explore the potential connection between Barrett’s esophagus (BE) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

To explore the probable connection between H. pylori and BE, databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, and COCHRANE were explored for observational studies that were published in English. Out of 1505 citations, 46 eligible studies were incorporated. For the included studies, calculation of confidence intervals (CIs) and odds ratios (ORs) was done.

A substantial inverse relationship with major heterogeneity was found between H. pylori (especially CagA-positive H. pylori strain) (OR = 0.70) and BE (OR = 0.28). The commonness of H. pylori infection was not considerably different between people with BE and people with gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD] (control group, OR = 0.99). H. pylori was negatively related to long-segment BE (OR = 0.47). Furthermore, H. pylori was allied with a decreased risk of dysplasia.

As found, H. pylori had no interrelationship with short-segment BE (OR = 1.11). H. pylori infection prevalence in BE was considerably lower in the present infected subgroup when compared to the control group (OR = 0.69). But, the inverse association between H. pylori and BE vanished in the infection history subgroup (OR = 0.88).

To sum up, BE and H. pylori (mainly the CagA-positive H. pylori strain) are reciprocally related with substantial heterogeneity, which is potentially mediated by a drop in GERD commonness. However, this is not seen in the lack of current H. pylori infection.