Association of Helicobacter pylori CagA seropositivity with gastric precancerous lesions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The objective of this meta-analysis is to delineate the association between H. pylori CagA serological status and the prevalence of gastric precancerous lesions (GPL). We searched peer-reviewed articles up to October 2023. The extraction of data from the included studies was carried out as well as the quality assessment. Pooled effect sizes were calculated using a random effect model. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 2728 patients with GPL and 17 612 controls. The aggregate odds ratio (OR) for the association between serum CagA and GPL was 2.74 (95% CI = 2.25–3.32; P = 0.00; I2 = 60.4%), irrespective of H. pylori infection status. Within the H. pylori -infected cohort, the OR was 2.25 (95% CI = 1.99–2.56; P = 0.00; I2 = 0.0%). Conversely, among the non-infected individuals, the OR was 1.63 (95% CI = 1.04–2.54; P = 0.038; I2 = 0.0%). Heterogeneity was explored using subgroup and meta-regression analyses, indicating that the variability between studies likely stemmed from differences in disease classification. Our results demonstrated robustness and negligible publication bias. The meta-analysis underscores a more pronounced association between H. pylori CagA seropositivity and the risk of developing GPL than between seronegativity and the same risk, irrespective of H. pylori infection status at the time. Additionally, the strength of the association was heightened in the presence of an active H. pylori infection. The implications of these findings advocate for the utility of CagA serostatus as a potential biomarker for screening GPL.