Outcomes of initial noninvasive Helicobacter pylori testing in U.S. primary care patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia.
OBJECTIVE
Recent European trials demonstrate that testing and treatment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is an effective alternative to prompt endoscopy in uninvestigated dyspepsia. The eventual endoscopy rate after H. pylori testing, which is a key determinant of cost-effectiveness, is unknown in the United States. Our aim was to determine the endoscopy rate after H. pylori testing in primary care practice in the United States and to compare outcomes among seropositive and seronegative patients.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective review with mean 13 month follow-up of primary care patients with dyspeptic symptoms tested with office-based H. pylori serology.


RESULTS
Of 268 adults tested (37+/-11 yr, 58% women), 57 (21%) were seropositive and 49/57 (86%) received eradication therapy. Endoscopy or contrast radiography was performed on 19% of seropositive and 19% of seronegative patients (p = 0.97). Annualized median disease-related expenditures were similar among seropositive and seronegative patients ($228 [$93-$654] vs $366 [$107-$1268], p = 0.19). However, aggregate expenditures were substantially lower than the cost of endoscopy alone ($816 [$296-$970]). On follow-up, seropositive and seronegative patients had similar numbers of primary care visits (2.9+/-3.2 vs 3.5+/-3.6, p = 0.23), prolonged antisecretory medication use (25 vs 33%, p = 0.27), and specialist referrals (23 vs 24%, p = 0.83).


CONCLUSIONS
In a United States center, 81% of primary care patients tested for H. pylori did not undergo endoscopy, and patients incurred significantly lower median expenditures after noninvasive H. pylori testing than the cost of endoscopy alone. Seropositive and seronegative patients experienced comparable outcomes after H. pylori testing.
Ladabaum
U
U
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
Fendrick
A M
AM
Scheiman
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics / Q000382:microbiology; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial