Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40958121›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of medical research2025

The association between H. pylori infection and cognitive deterioration: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Mahmoud M Elhady, Abdelrahman Zidan, Eslam Mohammed Rabea, Heidi Sherif Farouk, Moustafa Z Elattar, Manar Adel, Mariam Abdulkhaliq Khalil, Amira A Aboali, Marwa Abdel Aziz Zeid, Mohamed A Shaltout and 4 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of medical research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Mahmoud M ElhadyFaculty of Medicine, Benha University, Qalubiya, Egypt. mahmoud160375@fmed.bu.edu.eg.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6872-7180
Abdelrahman ZidanEmory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
Eslam Mohammed RabeaFaculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Heidi Sherif FaroukFaculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Moustafa Z ElattarAnatomy & Embryology Department, Benha Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Qalubiya, Egypt.
Manar AdelFaculty of Clinical Pharmacy, Tanta University, Gharbia, Egypt.
Mariam Abdulkhaliq KhalilFaculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Amira A AboaliFaculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Marwa Abdel Aziz ZeidFaculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University - Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Ismailia, Egypt.
Mohamed A ShaltoutFaculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
Alzahraa M Abdel-DaimFaculty of Medicine, New Ismailia National University, Ismailia, Egypt.
Asmaa Gomaa AlwarraqiFaculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Hazem AbuEl-EnienIndependent Researcher, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Mohamed Sayed ZaazoueeFaculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe association between cognitive decline and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection remains controversial, with some evidence suggesting that H. pylori eradication may slow the progression of the disease. This meta-analysis aims to investigate the bidirectional relationship between H. pylori and cognitive decline.

methodsWe searched PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus for double-arm studies that reported either the prevalence of cognitive decline in individuals with H. pylori-positive status or the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with cognitive decline. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software to pool the odds ratios from the included studies. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

resultsOur search identified 1,240 records, with 16 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that patients with H. pylori had a significantly higher risk of cognitive decline (OR = 1.338, 95% CI 1.046-1.713), with the strongest association seen in studies grouping cognitive dysfunction and dementia (OR: 3.190, 95% CI 1.853-5.490). However, the risk of Alzheimer's disease was insignificant. Cognitive decline cohorts showed a significantly higher prevalence of H. pylori (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.131-1.989), with a significant association with Alzheimer's disease (OR: 1.630, 95% CI 1.064-2.497), but not with dementia or cognitive dysfunction. The association varied across study designs, with cross-sectional studies showing no association in both analyses. Heterogeneity was substantial (I

conclusionThis meta-analysis indicates a bidirectional association between H. pylori and cognitive decline. While H. pylori infection increased the overall risk of cognitive decline, no significant link was found with Alzheimer's disease. Conversely, Alzheimer's disease patients had a higher prevalence of H. pylori infection. High heterogeneity underscores the need for further well-designed studies to clarify this relationship.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionHelicobacter InfectionsHelicobacter pyloriHumansPrevalenceAssociationCognitive declineDementiaH. pyloriInfectionMeta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID40958121
PMCPMC12439406

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.