title: Age-dependent accuracy of Helicobacter pylori antibody assays for adults, with special emphasis on atrophic gastritis.
abstract: The accuracy of Helicobacter pylori antibody assays for 561 consecutive adult outpatients who had undergone gastroscopy was studied. The sensitivity of an immunoglobulin G test was 99 to 100% for all age groups, but the specificity declined by age group, from 99% for those aged 15 to 49 years to 75% for those aged > or =65 years. The exclusion of false-positive results for patients with atrophic gastritis improved the specificity to 93 to 97% for the older age groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Haartman Institute, PO Box 21 (Haartmaninkatu 3), FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. anniina.salomaa@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salomaa-Räsänen
authors.forename: T U
authors.initials: TU
authors.lastname: Kosunen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mattila
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarna
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rautelin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial