title: Use of a dried plasma collection card for simplified diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare testing for Helicobacter pylori IgG antibodies using a dried plasma collection card device with specimens obtained by venepuncture.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-four patients underwent testing for H. pylori IgG antibodies by venepuncture and by fingerstick using a single drop of blood placed on each of two dried plasma collection card devices. The correlation of venepuncture results to dried plasma card results was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a high degree of correlation of EIA results between venepuncture and dried plasma card specimens (r=0.98). The qualitative result of the first dried plasma card and venepuncture specimen testing differed in 7 of 84 patients and for the second dried plasma card differed in 7 of 82 patients. The first dried plasma card was 93% sensitive and 100% specific and the second was 93% sensitive and 98% specific as compared to the venepuncture result. There was a high degree of correlation between the first and second dried plasma cards (r=0.996).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dried plasma collection card has adequate sensitivity and excellent specificity as compared to venepuncture specimens and is a feasible alternative for H. pylori IgG antibody testing.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology Section, Seattle, Washington, USA. kearney@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kearney
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boes
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Peacock
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012907:Smoking
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G