title: [Is measurement of basal levels of serum pepsinogen II useful in proving the eradication of Helicobacter pylori by treatment?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to demonstrate the influence of the eradication of Helicobacter pylori on the basal concentrations of serum pepsinogen II in patients with duodenal ulcer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two patients with active duodenal ulcer were prospectively studied. A triple therapy was used consisting in bismuth, metronidazole and tetracycline. At the time of initial endoscopy and in those performed 5 months later on completion of the treatment, biopsies of the gastric mucosa were taken for histologic and microbiologic studies, and the basal concentrations of serum pepsinogen II are also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The eradication of H. pylori was accompanied by a significant pathologic improvement (p < 0.001) in both the antrum and the gastric body. On eradication of H. pylori, the basal pepsinogen II value (m +/- SD) decreased from 9.2 +/- 2.7 ng/ml to 6.4 +/- 1.7 ng/ml after treatment (p < 0.001). However, when eradication was not achieved, these values increased (11.8 ng/ml) with respect to the initial determination (9.3 ng/ml) (p < 0.05). The area under the ROC curve was 0.99 (SE 0.01) with a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 100% with respect to the diagnosis of infection eradication (cut off point of the decrease of pepsinogen levels O).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The eradication of Helicobacter pylori in patients with duodenal ulcer is associated with a significant decrease in the basal concentrations of serum pepsinogen II measured 5 months after completion of treatment. The verification of this decrease constitutes a useful, inexpensive non invasive method to prove the eradication of H. pylori with treatment.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Gastroenterología, Hospital Ramón y Cajal.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gisbert
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boixeda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Rafael
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alvarez Baleriola
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martín de Argila
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000863:Antacids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001729:Bismuth / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D010435:Pepsinogens / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013270:Stomach / Q000382:microbiology*; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000863:Antacids; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010435:Pepsinogens; D008795:Metronidazole; D013752:Tetracycline; D001729:Bismuth