Association Between <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Infection and Otitis Media With Effusion Risk in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Abstract

To investigate the potential correlation between <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> infection and otitis media with effusion (OME) risk in children. Electronic databases were searched, including Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, China Biology Medicine disc, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted with Revman 5.3 software. Combined odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate infection-disease association. In total, 11 studies from 9 articles regarding <i>H pylori</i> infection and OME risk were enrolled in this meta-analysis. A significant association between <i>H pylori</i> infection and OME was detected for both adenoid samples from the case group (OR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.43-5.30; <i>P</i> = .002) and middle ear fluid samples from the case group (OR, 4.45; 95% CI, 2.52-7.88; <i>P</i> < .00001). Subgroup analyses suggested a stronger correlation in African and Asian populations. This study indicated the correlation between <i>H pylori</i> infection and increased risk of OME in children, especially in African and Asian populations. Further well-designed studies regarding the white population are strongly recommended in the future.