Diagnostic accuracy of stool sample-based PCR in detecting Helicobacter pylori infection: a meta-analysis

Abstract

The present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of different types of PCR tests with the aim of determining which one performs best for detecting Helicobacter pylori in stool samples. Related articles were searched from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science databases, Scopus, and Scholar Google. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool and RevMan5.4 software. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, DOR, PLR and NLR for the stool PCR test in detecting H. pylori infection were performed by Stata 15.0 software. Subgroup meta-analysis was performed by Open Meta-analyst software. Ten studies were selected in this study. Stool PCR test had 92.0 % (83.0, 96.0 %) pooled sensitivity, 96.0 % (84.0, 99.0 %) pooled specificity, 296.0 (51.6, 1,696.9) pooled DOR, 26.1 (5.3, 128.7) pooled PLR and 0.09 (0.04, 0.18) NLR in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection, and summary receiver operating characteristic curve (SROC) illustrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.98. Subgroup meta-analysis showed rtPCR as having the highest diagnostic accuracy. Our results identify rtPCR as having the highest diagnostic accuracy for the detection of H. pylori in stool samples, and the stool PCR test as a reliable diagnostic tool for H. pylori infection.

Keywords

• diagnostic accuracy
• helicobacter pylori
• meta-analysis
• polymerase chain reaction
• stool samples