title: Accurate diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection by stool antigen test and 6 other currently available tests in children.
abstract: Invasive and noninvasive tests have been developed for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection. Because H pylori infection is acquired in childhood and adolescence, accurate diagnosis of the infection in the pediatric population is important. We conducted a study to compare invasive tests: culture, biopsy urease test, histology, and polymerase chain reaction on gastric biopsy specimens, with noninvasive tests: serology, (13)C-urea breath test, and a new diagnostic modality, stool antigen test to diagnose H pylori infection. A total of 53 children with symptoms were enrolled in this study, and all had completed the 7 diagnostic tests for H pylori. All the diagnostic tests except serology were excellent methods of diagnosing H pylori infection in children; the diagnostic accuracy was as follows: stool antigen test 96.2%, biopsy urease test 96.2%, histology 98.1%, polymerase chain reaction 94.3%, culture 98.1%, (13)C-urea breath test 100%, and serology 84.9%. The stool antigen test, being highly sensitive and specific, will be potentially very helpful in diagnosing H pylori infection in children.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, and Pathology, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial