Table 3.

Subgroup analyses comparing the effect of probiotics plus standard therapy vs standard therapy on eradication rate based on intention-to-treat

Subgroups	Studies (n)	Patients (n)	Probiotics group	Control group	RR and 95%CI	P value	P value for Q statistics
Age
Adults	23	4116	81.86%	73.23%	1.12 (1.09-1.16)	< 0.001	0.224
Children	7	498	76.89%	64.78%	1.19 (1.07-1.32)	0.002	0.535
Probiotic strains
Multiple	22	3598	83.29%	73.73%	1.12 (1.08-1.17)	< 0.001	0.046
Single	21	2908	81.60%	70.60%	1.16 (1.11-1.21)	< 0.001	0.724
Dosage of probiotics (CFU/d)
≥ 5 × 109	15	2470	82.84%	73.06%	1.13 (1.08-1.18)	< 0.001	0.571
< 5 × 109	21	3283	81.49%	70.69%	1.14 (1.09-1.20)	< 0.001	0.046
Duration of probiotic intake
≥ 15 d	17	3411	81.15%	71.35%	1.14 (1.10-1.18)	< 0.001	0.976
< 15 d	24	2585	82.30%	71.28%	1.12 (1.06-1.18)	< 0.001	0.022
Duration of standard therapy
> 7 d	17	2050	81.79%	74.32%	1.11 (1.06-1.17)	< 0.001	0.167
= 7 d	27	4558	82.39%	70.97%	1.16 (1.12-1.20)	< 0.001	0.502
Duration between therapy ending and assessment
> 4 wk	20	2520	83.86%	73.36%	1.16 (1.11-1.21)	< 0.001	0.282
= 4 wk	22	3984	80.78%	70.91%	1.14 (1.10-1.18)	< 0.001	0.358
Probiotic (containing the following strains)
Lactobacillus	31	4165	82.67%	73.05%	1.14 (1.10-1.18)	< 0.001	0.088
Bifidobacterium	20	3059	82.66%	71.69%	1.14 (1.10-1.19)	< 0.001	0.058
Streptococcus	11	2262	81.47%	72.65%	1.11 (1.06-1.17)	< 0.001	0.085
Saccharomyces	4	1275	81.14%	69.94%	1.15 (1.08-1.24)	< 0.001	0.594
Bacillus	4	772	80.71%	69.74%	1.17 (1.08-1.28)	< 0.001	0.408
Enterococcus	5	652	87.30%	73.29%	1.17 (1.06-1.30)	0.003	0.046
Clostridium	3	151	93.06%	86.08%	1.08 (0.97-1.21)	0.164	0.456
Therapy regimens
First-line	16	3474	81.02%	71.00%	1.13 (1.08-1.17)	< 0.001	0.260
Second-line	3	435	88.63%	81.11%	1.08 (1.00-1.17)	0.058	0.185
Not specified	25	2699	82.67%	72.25%	1.18 (1.13-1.23)	< 0.001	0.268