Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) poses a significant health risk, particularly in aging populations. This study aims to quantify the association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and AAA development through a systematic review and meta-analysis, emphasizing numerical results for clarity. METHOD: Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, SCOPUS, Medline and Embase searches were conducted. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed using standardized tools. Statistical analysis involved calculating a pooled risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) to determine the association between H. pylori infection and AAA development. RESULT: Among the 8 selected studies, H. pylori infection exhibited a statistically significant overall RR of 1.54 (95% CI: 1.14-2.08, P = 0.005) for AAA development. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to address high heterogeneity, revealing consistent results. The event rate analysis across studies showed an overall rate of 41%, (95% CI: 0.293 to 0.547) with significant variability observed among individual study populations. CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis confirms a significant association between H. pylori infection and AAA development, with an elevated risk ratio of 1.54. These findings underscore the importance of further research to elucidate underlying mechanisms and inform preventive strategies and interventions aimed at mitigating the risk of AAA in individuals with H. pylori infection.