A rapid-release 50-mg tablet-based 13C-urea breath test for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection.
BACKGROUND
Recently, a rapid-release 100-mg 13C-urea tablet with citrate supplement (Diabact UBT) showed excellent performance in a European population.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the accuracy of a 50-mg tablet-based 13C-urea breath test protocol.


METHODS
: Consecutive dyspeptic patients referred for upper endoscopy were recruited. 13C-Urea breath test was performed using a 50-mg 13C-urea tablet (Diabact UBT) and compared with the gold standard (rapid urease test and histology). Baseline, 10-min, 20-min and 30-min breath samples were collected in all cases. The cut-off values at each measurement interval were determined by three standard deviations above the mean excess delta 13CO2 excretion of Helicobacter pylori-negative patients.


RESULTS
Two hundred patients (150 before therapy and 50 after therapy) were available for analysis, with a mean age of 48.4 years, and 99 patients (50%) were H. pylori positive. The sensitivity and specificity of the 50-mg tablet-based 13C-urea breath test at 10 min, 20 min and 30 min were 100% and 98%, 100% and 100%, and 100% and 98%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
A 20-min, 50-mg tablet-based 13C-urea breath test (Diabact UBT) protocol is highly accurate for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection.
Wong
W M
WM
Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, China.
Lam
S K
SK
Lai
K C
KC
Chu
K M
KM
Xia
H H X
HH
Wong
K W
KW
Cheung
K L
KL
Lin
S K
SK
Wong
B C Y
BC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001944:Breath Tests; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013607:Tablets; D014508:Urea / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D004338:Drug Combinations; D013607:Tablets; D019343:Citric Acid; D014508:Urea