Does technology-enhanced communication improve Helicobacter pylori eradication outcomes?-A meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a highly prevalent organism that can induce an inflammatory state in the upper gastrointestinal tract and lead to complications such as peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. The treatment regime is complicated, and mild-to-moderate adverse effects are common, making patient compliance a key determinant of successful eradication. One attractive strategy is to leverage on technology-enhanced communication (TEC) strategies. However, the current data on the efficacy of TEC modalities in improving H. pylori eradication are limited. This is the first meta-analysis evaluating its effectiveness to the best of our knowledge. Thus, it is essential to evaluate the current body of evidence to learn the impact of TEC initiatives. METHODS: A literature search was done on PubMed, World of Science, and Embase. A total of 9 studies variably reported on compliance rate, eradication rate, adverse effect rate, symptom relief, patient satisfaction, treatment cost, patient disease awareness, and follow-up rates. RESULTS: This meta-analysis showed that TEC initiatives significantly improve patient compliance (OR 4.52, 95% CI 2.09 - 9.77, p < .01) and eradication rate (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.34 - 2.93, p < .01) but not adverse effect rate (OR 0.65, 95% CI [0.27 - 1.57], p = .34). Due to the small number of studies and population sample, patient satisfaction, symptom relief, treatment costs, disease awareness, and follow-up rates were assessed qualitatively. CONCLUSION: TEC initiatives effectively improve compliance to the H. pylori eradication regime and increase the eradication rate.