Reliability of Diagnostic Tests for Helicobacter pylori Infection
Author Information
Author(s): Redéen S., Petersson F., Törnkrantz E., Levander H., Mårdh E., Borch K.
Primary Institution: Linköping University
Hypothesis
The study aims to determine the concordance between, and accuracy of, five different tests for H. pylori infection.
Conclusion
There were only minor differences in accuracy between the three invasive tests for H. pylori infection in this population.
Supporting Evidence
- The sensitivity was 0.99 for serology and 0.90 for UBT.
- The accuracy was 0.96 for UBT and 0.95 for RUT.
- RUT may be recommended as the first choice since a result is obtained within hours.
- The accuracy of UBT was comparable to the invasive tests.
Takeaway
This study looked at different tests to find out if people have a stomach bug called H. pylori. They found that some tests work just as well as others.
Methodology
The study screened 304 volunteers for H. pylori infection using serology, 13C-urea breath test, rapid urease test, culture from biopsy, and histological examination, with culture as the gold standard.
Potential Biases
The pathologist evaluating H. pylori status may have had biases based on clinical practice.
Limitations
The study did not include stool antigen tests for H. pylori and potential errors could arise from the number and location of biopsies taken.
Participant Demographics
The median age of participants was 66.1 years, with 143 women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% confidence interval provided for various tests.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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