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Lemos FFB, Castro CTD, Silva Luz M, Rocha GR, Correa Santos GL, de Oliveira Silva LG, Calmon MS, Souza CL, Zarpelon-Schutz AC, Teixeira KN, Queiroz DMDM, Freire de Melo F. Urea breath test for Helicobacter pylori infection in adult dyspeptic patients: A meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy. World J Gastroenterol 2024; 30:579-598. [PMID: 38463019 PMCID: PMC10921142 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i6.579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been well-established as a significant risk factor for several gastrointestinal disorders. The urea breath test (UBT) has emerged as a leading non-invasive method for detecting H. pylori. Despite numerous studies confirming its substantial accuracy, the reliability of UBT results is often compromised by inherent limitations. These findings underscore the need for a rigorous statistical synthesis to clarify and reconcile the diagnostic accuracy of the UBT for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. AIM To determine and compare the diagnostic accuracy of 13C-UBT and 14C-UBT for H. pylori infection in adult patients with dyspepsia. METHODS We conducted an independent search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central databases until April 2022. Our search included diagnostic accuracy studies that evaluated at least one of the index tests (13C-UBT or 14C-UBT) against a reference standard. We used the QUADAS-2 tool to assess the methodological quality of the studies. We utilized the bivariate random-effects model to calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative test likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-), as well as the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and their 95% confidence intervals. We conducted subgroup analyses based on urea dosing, time after urea administration, and assessment technique. To investigate a possible threshold effect, we conducted Spearman correlation analysis, and we generated summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves to assess heterogeneity. Finally, we visually inspected a funnel plot and used Egger's test to evaluate publication bias. RESULTS The titles and abstracts of 4621 studies were screened; 79 articles were retrieved and selected for full-text reading. Finally, 60 studies were included in the diagnostic test accuracy meta-analysis. Our analysis demonstrates superior diagnostic accuracy of 13C-UBT over 14C-UBT, indicated by higher sensitivity (96.60% vs 96.15%), specificity (96.93% vs 89.84%), likelihood ratios (LR+ 22.00 vs 10.10; LR- 0.05 vs 0.06), and area under the curve (AUC; 0.979 vs 0.968). Notably, 13C-UBT's DOR (586.47) significantly outperforms 14C-UBT (DOR 226.50), making it the preferred diagnostic tool for dyspeptic individuals with H. pylori infection. Correlation analysis revealed no threshold effect (13C-UBT: r = 0.48; 14C-UBT: r = -0.01), and SROC curves showed consistent accuracy. Both 13C-UBT and 14C-UBT showed high AUC values (13C-UBT 0.979; 14C-UBT 0.968) near 1.00, reinforcing their excellent accuracy and endorsing both as reliable diagnostic tools in clinical practice. CONCLUSION In summary, our study has demonstrated that 13C-UBT has been found to outperform the 14C-UBT, making it the preferred diagnostic approach. Additionally, our results emphasize the significance of carefully considering urea dosage, assessment timing, and measurement techniques for both tests to enhance diagnostic precision. Nevertheless, it is crucial for researchers and clinicians to evaluate the strengths and limitations of our findings before implementing them in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Fellipe Bueno Lemos
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | | | - Marcel Silva Luz
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Reis Rocha
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Lima Correa Santos
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | | | - Mariana Santos Calmon
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Cláudio Lima Souza
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Fabrício Freire de Melo
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
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Ansari S, Yamaoka Y. Helicobacter pylori Infection, Its Laboratory Diagnosis, and Antimicrobial Resistance: a Perspective of Clinical Relevance. Clin Microbiol Rev 2022; 35:e0025821. [PMID: 35404105 PMCID: PMC9491184 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00258-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the recent decrease in overall prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection, morbidity and mortality rates associated with gastric cancer remain high. The antimicrobial resistance developments and treatment failure are fueling the global burden of H. pylori-associated gastric complications. Accurate diagnosis remains the opening move for treatment and eradication of infections caused by microorganisms. Although several reports have been published on diagnostic approaches for H. pylori infection, most lack the data regarding diagnosis from a clinical perspective. Therefore, we provide an intensive, comprehensive, and updated description of the currently available diagnostic methods that can help clinicians, infection diagnosis professionals, and H. pylori researchers working on infection epidemiology to broaden their understanding and to select appropriate diagnostic methods. We also emphasize appropriate diagnostic approaches based on clinical settings (either clinical diagnosis or mass screening), patient factors (either age or other predisposing factors), and clinical factors (either upper gastrointestinal bleeding or partial gastrectomy) and appropriate methods to be considered for evaluating eradication efficacy. Furthermore, to cope with the increasing trend of antimicrobial resistance, a better understanding of its emergence and current diagnostic approaches for resistance detection remain inevitable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamshul Ansari
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu City, Oita, Japan
| | - Yoshio Yamaoka
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Yufu City, Oita, Japan
- Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Section, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
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Alboraie M, Elhossary W, Aly OA, Abbas B, Abdelsalam L, Ghaith D, Shady Z, Gaber Y, Adel E, Peura D, Armstrong D, Esmat G. Egyptian recommendations for management of Helicobacter pylori infection: 2018 report. Arab J Gastroenterol 2019; 20:175-179. [PMID: 31564518 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajg.2019.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Alboraie
- Department of Internal Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Walied Elhossary
- Endemic Medicine and Hepatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Osama Aboelfotoh Aly
- General Medicine, Gastroenterology & Hepatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt
| | - Bahaa Abbas
- Gastroenterology Department, Air Force Specialized Hospital, Military Medical Academy, Egypt
| | | | - Doaa Ghaith
- Clinical and Chemical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt
| | - Zakarya Shady
- Department of Internal Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Yasmine Gaber
- Endemic Medicine and Hepatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman Adel
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - David Peura
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | - Gamal Esmat
- Endemic Medicine and Hepatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
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Best LMJ, Takwoingi Y, Siddique S, Selladurai A, Gandhi A, Low B, Yaghoobi M, Gurusamy KS. Non-invasive diagnostic tests for Helicobacter pylori infection. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018; 3:CD012080. [PMID: 29543326 PMCID: PMC6513531 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd012080.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection has been implicated in a number of malignancies and non-malignant conditions including peptic ulcers, non-ulcer dyspepsia, recurrent peptic ulcer bleeding, unexplained iron deficiency anaemia, idiopathic thrombocytopaenia purpura, and colorectal adenomas. The confirmatory diagnosis of H pylori is by endoscopic biopsy, followed by histopathological examination using haemotoxylin and eosin (H & E) stain or special stains such as Giemsa stain and Warthin-Starry stain. Special stains are more accurate than H & E stain. There is significant uncertainty about the diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive tests for diagnosis of H pylori. OBJECTIVES To compare the diagnostic accuracy of urea breath test, serology, and stool antigen test, used alone or in combination, for diagnosis of H pylori infection in symptomatic and asymptomatic people, so that eradication therapy for H pylori can be started. SEARCH METHODS We searched MEDLINE, Embase, the Science Citation Index and the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment Database on 4 March 2016. We screened references in the included studies to identify additional studies. We also conducted citation searches of relevant studies, most recently on 4 December 2016. We did not restrict studies by language or publication status, or whether data were collected prospectively or retrospectively. SELECTION CRITERIA We included diagnostic accuracy studies that evaluated at least one of the index tests (urea breath test using isotopes such as 13C or 14C, serology and stool antigen test) against the reference standard (histopathological examination using H & E stain, special stains or immunohistochemical stain) in people suspected of having H pylori infection. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently screened the references to identify relevant studies and independently extracted data. We assessed the methodological quality of studies using the QUADAS-2 tool. We performed meta-analysis by using the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) model to estimate and compare SROC curves. Where appropriate, we used bivariate or univariate logistic regression models to estimate summary sensitivities and specificities. MAIN RESULTS We included 101 studies involving 11,003 participants, of which 5839 participants (53.1%) had H pylori infection. The prevalence of H pylori infection in the studies ranged from 15.2% to 94.7%, with a median prevalence of 53.7% (interquartile range 42.0% to 66.5%). Most of the studies (57%) included participants with dyspepsia and 53 studies excluded participants who recently had proton pump inhibitors or antibiotics.There was at least an unclear risk of bias or unclear applicability concern for each study.Of the 101 studies, 15 compared the accuracy of two index tests and two studies compared the accuracy of three index tests. Thirty-four studies (4242 participants) evaluated serology; 29 studies (2988 participants) evaluated stool antigen test; 34 studies (3139 participants) evaluated urea breath test-13C; 21 studies (1810 participants) evaluated urea breath test-14C; and two studies (127 participants) evaluated urea breath test but did not report the isotope used. The thresholds used to define test positivity and the staining techniques used for histopathological examination (reference standard) varied between studies. Due to sparse data for each threshold reported, it was not possible to identify the best threshold for each test.Using data from 99 studies in an indirect test comparison, there was statistical evidence of a difference in diagnostic accuracy between urea breath test-13C, urea breath test-14C, serology and stool antigen test (P = 0.024). The diagnostic odds ratios for urea breath test-13C, urea breath test-14C, serology, and stool antigen test were 153 (95% confidence interval (CI) 73.7 to 316), 105 (95% CI 74.0 to 150), 47.4 (95% CI 25.5 to 88.1) and 45.1 (95% CI 24.2 to 84.1). The sensitivity (95% CI) estimated at a fixed specificity of 0.90 (median from studies across the four tests), was 0.94 (95% CI 0.89 to 0.97) for urea breath test-13C, 0.92 (95% CI 0.89 to 0.94) for urea breath test-14C, 0.84 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.91) for serology, and 0.83 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.90) for stool antigen test. This implies that on average, given a specificity of 0.90 and prevalence of 53.7% (median specificity and prevalence in the studies), out of 1000 people tested for H pylori infection, there will be 46 false positives (people without H pylori infection who will be diagnosed as having H pylori infection). In this hypothetical cohort, urea breath test-13C, urea breath test-14C, serology, and stool antigen test will give 30 (95% CI 15 to 58), 42 (95% CI 30 to 58), 86 (95% CI 50 to 140), and 89 (95% CI 52 to 146) false negatives respectively (people with H pylori infection for whom the diagnosis of H pylori will be missed).Direct comparisons were based on few head-to-head studies. The ratios of diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) were 0.68 (95% CI 0.12 to 3.70; P = 0.56) for urea breath test-13C versus serology (seven studies), and 0.88 (95% CI 0.14 to 5.56; P = 0.84) for urea breath test-13C versus stool antigen test (seven studies). The 95% CIs of these estimates overlap with those of the ratios of DORs from the indirect comparison. Data were limited or unavailable for meta-analysis of other direct comparisons. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS In people without a history of gastrectomy and those who have not recently had antibiotics or proton ,pump inhibitors, urea breath tests had high diagnostic accuracy while serology and stool antigen tests were less accurate for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection.This is based on an indirect test comparison (with potential for bias due to confounding), as evidence from direct comparisons was limited or unavailable. The thresholds used for these tests were highly variable and we were unable to identify specific thresholds that might be useful in clinical practice.We need further comparative studies of high methodological quality to obtain more reliable evidence of relative accuracy between the tests. Such studies should be conducted prospectively in a representative spectrum of participants and clearly reported to ensure low risk of bias. Most importantly, studies should prespecify and clearly report thresholds used, and should avoid inappropriate exclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence MJ Best
- Royal Free Campus, UCL Medical SchoolDepartment of SurgeryRowland Hill StreetLondonUKNW32PF
| | - Yemisi Takwoingi
- University of BirminghamInstitute of Applied Health ResearchEdgbastonBirminghamUKB15 2TT
| | | | | | | | | | - Mohammad Yaghoobi
- McMaster University and McMaster University Health Sciences CentreDivision of Gastroenterology1200 Main Street WestHamiltonONCanada
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Tepeš B, Malfertheiner P, Labenz J, Aygen S. Modified Helicobacter test using a new test meal and a 13C-urea breath test in Helicobacter pylori positive and negative dyspepsia patients on proton pump inhibitors. World J Gastroenterol 2017; 23:5954-5961. [PMID: 28932087 PMCID: PMC5583580 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i32.5954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 03/25/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the 13C-urea breath test (UBT) in patients taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), using a new test meal Refex.
METHODS One hundred and fourteen consecutive patients with dyspepsia, 53 Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) positive, 49 H. pylori negative, were included in the study. The patients were then given esomeprazole 40 mg for 29 consecutive days, and the 13C-UBT with the new test meal was performed the next morning.
RESULTS The sensitivity of the 13C-UBT with a cut off 2.5‰ was 92.45% (95%CI: 81.79%-97.91%) by per-protocol (PP) analysis and 78.13% (95%CI: 66.03%-87.49%) by intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. The specificity of the 13C-UBT test was 96.00% in the ITT population (95%CI: 86.29%-99.51%) and 97.96% in the PP population (95%CI: 89.15%-99.95%).
CONCLUSION The new test meal based 13C-UBT is highly accurate in patients on PPIs and can be used in those unable to stop their PPI treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bojan Tepeš
- AM DC Rogaška, Prvomajska 29 A, 3250 Rogaška Slatina, Slovenia
| | - Peter Malfertheiner
- Universitätsklinikum Magdeburg A. ö. R Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Infektiologie, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Joachim Labenz
- Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, Diakonie Klinikum, Jung-Stilling Hospital, 57074 Siegen, Germany
| | - Sitke Aygen
- Institut für Biomedizinische Analytik und NMR-Imaging GmbH (INFAI), Gottfried-Hagen-Str. 6062, 51105 Köln, Germany
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Shirin D, Matalon S, Avidan B, Broide E, Shirin H. Real-world Helicobacter pylori diagnosis in patients referred for esophagoduodenoscopy: The gap between guidelines and clinical practice. United European Gastroenterol J 2016; 4:762-769. [PMID: 28408993 DOI: 10.1177/2050640615626052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 12/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Histopathology is the most accurate test to detect H. pylori when performed correctly with unknown validity in daily practice clinic settings. We aimed to determine the rate of potentially false-negative H. pylori results that might be due to continued use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in routine endoscopy practice. We also aimed to establish whether gastroenterologists recommend routine cessation of PPIs before esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and whether they regularly document that biopsies for H. pylori testing have been taken while the patients are on PPI treatment. METHODS Detailed information about three known factors (PPIs, antibiotics and prior H. pylori eradication treatment), which may cause histology or rapid urease test (RUT) to be unreliable, had been prospectively collected through interviews using a questionnaire before each test. Gastric biopsies were stained with H&E for histological analysis. RESULTS A total of 409 individuals at three academic gastroenterology institutions were tested 200 times with histology. Fifty-six per cent (68 of 122) of all negative tests fell in the category of continuing PPI use, which had the potential to make the histology and RUT results unreliable. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate a clear and important gap between current guidelines and real-world practice with regards to the diagnosis of H. pylori during EGD. A negative histology or RUT should be considered false negative until potential protocol violations are excluded. Documentation of PPI use during the EGD should be an integral part of the EGD report. The current practice of taking biopsies for H. pylori testing in patients under PPIs should be reevaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dor Shirin
- The Kamila Gonczarowski Institute of Gastroenterology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel
| | - Shay Matalon
- The Kamila Gonczarowski Institute of Gastroenterology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel
| | - Benjamin Avidan
- Gastroenterology Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Efrat Broide
- The Kamila Gonczarowski Institute of Gastroenterology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Haim Shirin
- The Kamila Gonczarowski Institute of Gastroenterology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
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Wiwanitkit S, Wiwanitkit V. Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Lanyu island. J Formos Med Assoc 2014; 113:394. [PMID: 24630565 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2014.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2014] [Revised: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/31/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Viroj Wiwanitkit
- Hainan Medical University, Haikou City, Hainan Province, China; Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Šumatovačka, Niš, Serbia; Joseph Ayobabalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, Nigeria
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Gisbert JP, Calvet X, Bermejo F, Boixeda D, Bory F, Bujanda L, Castro-Fernández M, Dominguez-Muñoz E, Elizalde JI, Forné M, Gené E, Gomollón F, Lanas Á, Martín de Argila C, McNicholl AG, Mearin F, Molina-Infante J, Montoro M, Pajares JM, Pérez-Aisa A, Pérez-Trallero E, Sánchez-Delgado J. [III Spanish Consensus Conference on Helicobacter pylori infection]. GASTROENTEROLOGIA Y HEPATOLOGIA 2013; 36:340-74. [PMID: 23601856 DOI: 10.1016/j.gastrohep.2013.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/31/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Javier P Gisbert
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IP), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España.
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Schmilovitz-Weiss H, Sehayek-Shabat V, Eliakim R, Skapa E, Avni Y, Shirin H. Applicability of a short/rapid 13C-urea breath test for Helicobacter pylori: retrospective multicenter chart review study. BMC Gastroenterol 2012; 12:8. [PMID: 22260296 PMCID: PMC3292456 DOI: 10.1186/1471-230x-12-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2011] [Accepted: 01/19/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Carbon labeled urea breath tests usually entail a two point sampling with a 20 to 30-minute gap. Our aim was to evaluate the duration of time needed for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori by the BreathID® System. METHODS This is a retrospective multicenter chart review study. Test location, date, delta over baseline, and duration of the entire test were recorded. Consecutively 13C urea breath tests results were extracted from the files over a nine year period. RESULTS Of the 12,791 tests results, 35.1% were positively diagnosed and only 0.1% were inconclusive. A statistically significant difference in prevalence among the countries was found: Germany showing the lowest, 13.3%, and Israel the highest, 44.1%. Significant differences were found in time to diagnosis: a positive diagnosis had the shortest and an inconclusive result had the longest. Overall test duration averaged 15.1 minutes in Germany versus approximately 13 minutes in other countries. Diagnosis was achieved after approximately 9 minutes in Israel, Italy and Switzerland, but after 10 on average in the others. The mean delta over baseline value for a negative diagnosis was 1.03 ± 0.86, (range, 0.9 - 5), versus 20.2 ± 18.9, (range, 5.1 - 159.4) for a positive one. CONCLUSIONS The BreathID® System used in diagnosing Helicobacter pylori can safely shorten test duration on average of 10-13 minutes without any loss of sensitivity or specificity and with no test lasting more than 21 minutes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemda Schmilovitz-Weiss
- Gastroenterology Unit, Hasharon Hospital, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Abstract
If we had to give a general view of the articles published in the year 2010, we should conclude that the evidence in the year 2010 suggests that, also in Helicobacter pylori diagnosis, "the devil is in the details". In this sense, different studies suggested that skipping citric acid pretreatment or local validation or reducing the (13) C-urea dose markedly decreases the accuracy of the urea breath test. The studies also implied that, even between monoclonal stool tests, there are large differences between the marketed tests. Finally, even histology does not work adequately in patients with gastric cancer or extensive areas of intestinal metaplasia. In these cases, specific gastric sites should be biopsied to improve the reliability of histology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Calvet
- Digestive Diseases Department, Hospital de Sabadell, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí, Departament de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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