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H. Pylori Treatment in the COVID-19 Era. What Have We Learned So Far?
Konstantinos Ekmektzoglou1, Theodore Rokkas2
1School of Medicine, European University Cyprus, 6 Diogenis Str., 2404 Engomi, 22006, Nicosia, 1516, Cyprus. ekmektzo@hotmail.com.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) treatment, creating uncertainty. This review explores the pandemic's impact on H. pylori management and eradication strategies.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted healthcare delivery globally.
- Management of various gastroenterological conditions, including Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections, was notably affected.
- A substantial reduction in H. pylori eradication treatments was observed during the pandemic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the available literature on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on H. pylori treatment.
- To elucidate the challenges and changes in H. pylori management during the pandemic.
- To identify areas of scientific uncertainty regarding H. pylori and COVID-19.
Main Methods:
- Literature review methodology.
- Analysis of published data concerning H. pylori infection and COVID-19.
- Synthesis of findings on treatment outcomes and patient management.
Main Results:
- The pandemic raised numerous questions regarding H. pylori and COVID-19 outcomes.
- Uncertainty exists concerning COVID-19 in H. pylori-infected patients and vice versa.
- Impact of acid suppression on COVID-19 incidence and outcomes remains unclear.
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant scientific uncertainty in H. pylori management.
- The pandemic presents an opportunity to accelerate future approaches to H. pylori infection.
- Further research is needed to address the questions raised by the pandemic's influence on H. pylori treatment.
Purpose Of Review:
CoronaVirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has negatively influenced the management of multiple conditions in regards to the gastroenterology patient. An equivalent change in the management of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-related diseases was reported, as practically no eradication treatment was offered during most of the pandemic. Given the scarcity of published data, we performed a literature review trying to elucidate the effect of COVID-19 on H. pylori treatment.
Recent Findings:
COVID-19 has produced more questions than answers as to the outcome of COVID-19 in H. Pylori infected patients, post-COVID-19 patients treated for H. pylori, acid suppression and COVID-19 incidence and outcomes, and H. pylori eradication treatment in patients having recovered from COVID-19. We strongly believe that this scientific uncertainty produced by the COVID-19 pandemic has set up the stage for an incremental change in H. pylori treatment as COVID-19 has offered us the chance to speed up how we will, in the near future, approach patients with a possible Η. pylori infection.
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