Helicobacter species are associated with possible increase in risk of biliary lithiasis and benign biliary diseases

Hepato-biliary tract lithiasis is common and present either as pain or as asymptomatic on abdominal ultrasonography for other causes. Although the DNA of Helicobacter species are identified in the gallbladder bile, tissue or stones analyzed from these cases, still a causal relationship could not be established due to different results from different geographical parts.

A detailed search of pubmed and pubmedcentral was carried out with key words Helicobacter and gallbladder, gallstones, hepaticolithiasis, cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis, benign biliary diseases, liver diseases. The data was entered in a data base and meta analysis was carried out. The analysis was carried out using odds ratio and a fixed effect model, 95% confidence intervals for odds ratio was calculated. Chi square test for heterogeneity was employed. The overall effect was calculated using Z test.

A total of 12 articles were identified. One study used IgG for diagnosis while others used the PCR for Ure A gene, 16 S RNA or Cag A genes. A couple of studies used culture or histopathology besides the PCR. The cumulative results show a higher association of Helicobacter with chronic liver diseases (30.48%), and stone diseases (42.96%)(OR 1.77 95% CI 1.2-2.58; Z = 2.94, p = 0.003), the effect of each could not be identified as it was difficult to isolate the effect of helicobacter due to mixing of cases in each study.

The results of present meta analysis shows that there is a slight higher risk of cholelithiasis and benign liver disease (OR 1.77), however due to inherent inability to isolate the effect of stone disease from that of other benign lesions it is not possible to say for sure that Helicobacter has a casual relationship with benign biliary disease or stone disease or both.