A rapid lateral flow stool antigen immunoassay and (14)C-urea breath test for the diagnosis and eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection in children.

Abstract

Our aim was to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of rapid immunochromatographic stool antigen test (Rapid HpSA; LİNEAR Chemical,Barcelona, Spain) and a practical low-dose14C urea breath test (UBT) (Heliprobe™) test before and after eradication therapy. One hundrednine children with abdominal symptoms (age range, 5–17 years; mean, 12.1) underwent endoscopy,14C-UBT, and Rapid HpSA. Patientswere defined asHpinfected when histology was positive forHp. Forty children (36.6%) wereHpinfected. The sensitivity of Rapid HpSAand14C-UBT was 65% and 92.5% (P= 0.0003), respectively; the specificity of Rapid HpSA and14C-UBT was 92.3% and 85.5% (P=0.180), respectively. After eradication therapy endoscopy,14C-UBT and Rapid HpSA were repeated. The eradication rate was 70.5%. Aftereradication, the sensitivity of Rapid HpSA and14C-UBT was 60% and 100%, respectively; the specificity of Rapid HpSA and14C-UBT was100%.14C-UBT was more reliable than the Rapid HpSA test for the diagnosis and for confirming eradication ofHpinfection