Celiac Disease and Helicobacter Pylori Infection: an Ups and Downs Correlation

Background: Several studies showed an involvement of the gastric mucosa in celiac disease (CD). Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is the major agent of gastric damage. The aim of this article was to present a literature review of a possible correlation between the two conditions. Methods: A literature search was conducted in Medline, Scopus and Directory of Open Access Journal (DOAJ) using appropriate keywords. We included only articles written in English over the period July 1996 - May 2014. Results: The search for Medline, Scopus and DOAJ provided a total of 530 citation. Twenty five studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in quantitative analysis. The prevalence of Hp infection in celiac children and adults from different geographical areas has been reported. The possible correlation between Hp infection and the increase of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) has also been reported. Conclusion: Several studies showed a wide heterogeneity. This is probably due to differences in Hp prevalence, small series of patients, lack of histological confirmation of Hp and lack of adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics. More studies to clarify the possible correlation between these two conditions are necessary.