Assessment of the new immunological test Hemoblot for detecting occult blood in faeces.
Hemoblot, a new immunological faecal occult blood test, produced by Gamma, Angleur, Belgium, was characterized and compared with another immunological test (HemeSelect, SmithKline Diagnostics, USA) and with a guaiac test (Hemoccult II, SmithKline Diagnostics). The analytical sensitivity of Hemoblot is 0.15 mg haemoglobin/g faeces and the test is specific for human haemoglobin. In addition, 135 symptomatic patients who had to undergo a colonoscopy were tested using the three tests. Two criteria were considered for the analysis: (1) the blood criterion: any pathology likely to cause colorectal or other bleeding; and (2) the precancerous-cancerous criterion: the pathology being either a colorectal polyp > 0.5 cm or a colorectal cancer. Considering both criteria, the sensitivity of Hemoblot was significantly higher than the sensitivity of Hemoccult: 38% and 23%, respectively, for the blood criterion; and 54% and 29% for the precancerous-cancerous criterion. Sensitivity and specificity did not differ statistically between Hemoblot and HemeSelect but Hemoblot was faster and simpler to perform. It could be widely used in mass screening.
Jeanson
A
A
Research and Development Laboratory, Gamma, Angleur, Belgium.
Jamart
J
J
Maisin
J M
JM
Vanheuverzwyn
R
R
Gohy
P
P
Debongnie
J C
JC
Rentier
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis; D003113:Colonoscopy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis; D006138:Guaiac; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007417:Intestinal Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009780:Occult Blood; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D006138:Guaiac