Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in China from 2014-2023: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: control. AIM: infection throughout China and establish a reference point for subsequent investigations. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following established guidelines, as detailed in our methodology section. RESULTS: was 42.8% (95%CI: 40.7-44.9). Subgroup analysis indicated the highest prevalence in Northwest China at 51.3% (95%CI: 45.6-56.9), and in Qinghai Province, the prevalence reached 60.2% (95%CI: 46.5-73.9). The urea breath test, which recorded the highest infection rate, showed a prevalence of 43.7% (95%CI: 41.4-46.0). No notable differences in infection rates were observed between genders. Notably, the prevalence among the elderly was significantly higher at 44.5% (95%CI: 41.9-47.1), compared to children, who showed a prevalence of 27.5% (95%CI: 19.58-34.7). CONCLUSION: infection in China decreased to 42.8%, down from the previous decade. However, the infection rates vary considerably across different geographical areas, among various populations, and by detection methods employed.