AIM: To perform a systematic review of the efficacy of rabeprazole-based therapies in Helicobacter pylori eradication, and to conduct a meta-analysis comparing the efficacy of rabeprazole and other proton pump inhibitors when co-prescribed with antibiotics. METHODS: Studies evaluating rabeprazole plus antibiotics were considered. Only randomized trials comparing rabeprazole and other proton pump inhibitors with antibiotics, and differing only in the proton pump inhibitor, were included in the meta-analysis. Electronic and manual bibliographic searches were conducted. The percentage (weighted mean) of successful eradication was calculated. Meta-analysis was performed by combining the odds ratios (OR) of the individual studies. RESULTS: The eradication rates were as follows: 14-day rabeprazole-amoxicillin, 73%; rabeprazole-amoxicillin-clarithromycin for 3, 5, 7 and 10 days, 44%, 72%, 78% and 75%, respectively; low-dose rabeprazole (20 mg/day), amoxicillin and clarithromycin for 7 days, 81%; high-dose rabeprazole (40 mg/day), amoxicillin and clarithromycin for 7 days, 75%; 7-day rabeprazole-clarithromycin-nitroimidazole, 85%. Twelve comparative studies were included in the meta-analysis. The eradication rate with rabeprazole plus antibiotics was 79%; it was 77% with other proton pump inhibitors (OR = 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 0.93-1.42). Sub-analysis comparing rabeprazole at low doses (10 mg b.d.) with other proton pump inhibitors at standard doses (omeprazole 20 mg b.d. or lansoprazole 30 mg b.d.) showed no differences. CONCLUSIONS: Rabeprazole achieves similar H. pylori eradication rates to omeprazole and lansoprazole when co-prescribed with antibiotics. Low doses of rabeprazole (10 mg b.d.), when administered with two antibiotics, may be sufficient to eradicate H. pylori infection.