[Usefulness of the breath test with urea-13C in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection]

Abstract

Background: Many diagnostic methods of variable diagnostic profitability are available to detect infection by Helicobacter pylori. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the European method of the breath test with urea-13C and compare the results with common histologic methods, the rapid urease test and serology.

Methods: Thirty-six patients who attended the Endoscopy Unit for recurrent symptomatology of the upper digestive tract were included in the study. A patient was considered to present infection by Helicobacter pylori on positivity of 2 of the usual methods: histology, rapid urease test and serology.

Results: The breath test with urea-13C was positive in 25 patients (13CO2 > 5 per 1,000) and negative in 10 patients with 100% specificity and 96% sensitivity. The specificity of the rapid urease test, histology and serologic tests were 90, 90 and 80%, respectively with 92, 88, and 88% sensitivity, respectively.

Conclusions: The European method of the breath test with urea-13C is simple, non invasive and achieves the greatest profitability in the determination of Helicobacter pylori.