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World J Gastroenterol. Jun 7, 2014; 20(21): 6374-6385
Published online Jun 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i21.6374
Published online Jun 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i21.6374
Helicobacter pylori infection and inflammatory bowel disease: Is there a link?
Konstantinos Papamichael, Panagiotis Konstantopoulos, Gerassimos J Mantzaris, First Gastroenterology Clinic, Evaggelismos Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
Author contributions: Papamichael K and Mantzaris GJ wrote the paper; Konstantopoulos P performed the PubMed research to collect all of the necessary references.
Correspondence to: Konstantinos Papamichael, MD, PhD, FEBGH, First Gastroenterology Clinic, Evaggelismos Hospital, 45-47 Ypsilantou street, Kolonaki, 10676 Athens, Greece. kpapamdoc@yahoo.gr
Telephone: +30-213-2041604 Fax: +30-213-2045223
Received: October 30, 2013
Revised: January 7, 2014
Accepted: February 17, 2014
Published online: June 7, 2014
Processing time: 218 Days and 20.1 Hours
Revised: January 7, 2014
Accepted: February 17, 2014
Published online: June 7, 2014
Processing time: 218 Days and 20.1 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: By gathering a large volume of published data, this review attempts to shed light on the mechanisms and confounding factors underlying the potential link between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). However, whether the link between H. pylori and IBD is coincidental, epiphenomenal or mechanistic remains to be elucidated as there are contradictory data regarding both the causative and the protective role of H. pylori infection against IBD. This review provides a tool for researchers in this field to use as they perform further research to find the missing links.