title: The stool antigen test for detection of Helicobacter pylori after eradication therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current noninvasive tests to confirm the eradication of Helicobacter pylori must be performed 4 weeks or more after eradication therapy is completed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the stool antigen test, a relatively new noninvasive test for H. pylori, administered at various times after eradication therapy correctly identifies persons with persistent H. pylori infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective blinded study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six clinical centers in the United States and Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  84 H. pylori --infected patients undergoing endoscopy for upper abdominal symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  At baseline and on day 35 after the completion of triple eradication therapy, all patients underwent endoscopy with histologic examination, rapid urease test and culture, urea breath test, and a stool antigen test. The stool antigen test was also performed on days 3, 7, 15, 21, 28, and 35 after completion of therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the gold-standard endoscopic tests on day 35 after antimicrobial therapy, the urea breath test had a sensitivity of 94% (95% CI, 71% to 100%) and a specificity of 100% (CI, 94% to 100%). The stool antigen test had a sensitivity of 94% (CI, 71% to 100%) and a specificity of 97% (CI, 89% to 100%). On day 7 after treatment, the stool antigen test was predictive of eradication (positive predictive value, 100% [CI, 69% to 100%]; negative predictive value, 91% [CI, 82% to 97%]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A positive result on the stool antigen test 7 days after completion of therapy identifies patients in whom eradication of H. pylori was unsuccessful.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, S. Orsola Hospital, via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. vairadin@med.unibo.it
authors.forename: Dino
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vaira
authors.forename: Nimish
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vakil
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Menegatti
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: van't Hoff
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gatta
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quina
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pajares Garcia
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Der Ende
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Der Hulst
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anti
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Javier P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gisbert
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miglioli
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tytgat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001944:Breath Tests; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial