Efficacy of Lactobacillus-supplemented triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection in children: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Therapy-related side effects and severe antimicrobial resistance still remain an obstacle to Helicobacter pylori eradication. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the efficacy of Lactobacillus-supplemented triple therapy on H. pylori eradication rates and therapy-related side effects in children. Five studies involving 484 pediatric patients were included in our analysis. The pooled relative risk (RR) for eradication rates in the Lactobacillus group versus the control group was 1.19 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.33]. In subgroup analyses based on dose and duration of Lactobacillus supplementation, the pooled RRs for eradication rates were 1.36 (95% CI 1.15–1.60) in the high-dose group, 1.08 (95% CI 0.86–1.35) in the low-dose group, 1.24 (95% CI 1.06–1.46) in the long-term group, and 1.17 (95% CI 0.96–1.44) in the short-term group. With respect to side effects, Lactobacillus supplementation significantly reduced the incidence of diarrhea (RR = 0.30, 95% CI 0.10–0.85).

Conclusions: Lactobacillus, as an adjunct to triple therapy, can increase H. pylori eradication rates as well as reduce the incidence of therapy-related diarrhea in children. And a higher dose and a longer duration of supplementation may conduce to the positive impact of Lactobacillus on H. pylori eradication.