title: Value of serology (ELISA) for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection: evaluation in patients attending endoscopy and in those with fundic atrophic gastritis.
abstract: In the present study we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of four commercial IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits (Autoplate, H.pylori-EIA-Well, Enzygnost, Helori-test) and evaluated the performance of these tests in patients with fundic atrophic gastritis. Serum antibodies to Helicobacter pylori were measured in 70 out-patients attending endoscopy for dyspepsia and 43 patients with non-autoimmune fundic atrophic gastritis. Using the cut-off values recommended by the manufacturers, and comparing serological findings with gastric biopsy results of dyspeptic out-patients attending endoscopy, the four kits showed a sensitivity and specificity, respectively, of 91% and 96%, for Autoplate, 67% and 100% for H.pylori-EIA-Well, 79% and 100% for Enzygnost, and 81% and 96% for Helori-test. Evaluation in patients with atrophic gastritis revealed a high prevalence of antibodies to Helicobacter pylori (84%) and it demonstrated that patients with and those without gastric colonization by this microorganism had a similar rate of seropositivity (76-84% vs 50-78%). In conclusion, our data demonstrate that: a) this assay is a reliable and valid method to detect gastric colonization by Helicobacter pylori; b) positive serum antibody associated with a negative detection of Helicobacter pylori in the gastric mucosa suggests mucosal atrophy; c) patients with fundic atrophic gastritis should be excluded from studies investigating the value of serology in diagnosing Helicobacter pylori infection.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica e Gastroenterologia, Università di Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tucci
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donati
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzoni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cevenini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sambri
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Varoli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bocus
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Paparo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caletti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000175:diagnosis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000592:standards*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005773:Gastroscopy; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic