Association between host genetic polymorphisms and susceptibility to Helicobacter pylori infection: a systematic review protocol

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative, microaerophilic bacterium and an etiological agent of gastroduodenal diseases, including gastritis, peptic ulcers, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and gastric cancer. H. pylori affects approximately half of the global population. Most infected patients remain asymptomatic or exhibit non-severe gastric diseases. The clinical outcome of the infection is intricately associated with a delicate host-parasite relationship. Infected individuals may present a variety of immune and inflammatory responses influenced by genes that either attenuate or exacerbate the infection. Characterizing potential molecular biomarkers of the host could provide a significant contribution to precision medicine, assisting in the diagnosis, prognosis, and personalized therapeutic approaches for H. pylori infected patients. This systematic review protocol aims to provide a comprehensive and critical synthesis of the scientific evidence regarding genetic polymorphisms and their association with host susceptibility to H. pylori infection. This protocol has been registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews with number CRD42023409085. It was prepared in accordance with the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute for systematic review protocols concerning etiology and risk. The literature searches will be conducted in electronic bibliographic databases. The selection process will be conducted in pairs, using a double-blind format, and any discrepancies will be resolved by a third reviewer. After selection, the relevant data will be extracted and recorded in a designated form. This is designed to find genetic polymorphisms associated with specific clinical outcomes, potentially helping provide valuable insights for precision medicine, allowing the development of personalized and effective therapeutic approaches in patient treatment.