title: Evaluation of a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for serological diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in a group of non-ulcer dyspepsia sufferers.
abstract: Helicobacter pylori infection of the stomach is associated with gastritis and peptic ulceration and may be causative. A noninvasive test for this organism might be useful in managing some patients with dyspepsia without the need for further investigation. We have evaluated a new commercially available serological test (Helico-G ELISA, Porton Cambridge, UK) for this infection to assess its diagnostic accuracy in a retrospective study of 115 patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia. Sixty-three of these patients (55%) were found to have H. pylori infection and gastritis on histology. A sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 90% were obtained. No significant fall in the antibody titres was found in a subgroup of 15 patients who were selected to complete a course of triple therapy despite significant improvement in their dyspepsia score and confirmed eradication of H. pylori organism in 80% of these patients. We conclude that the test has limited value in aiding clinical decision of managing patients with dyspepsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, Derby, UK.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ching
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buxton
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holgate
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Holmes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000382:microbiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests