title: Comparison of invasive and non-invasive tests diagnosis and monitoring of Helicobacter pylori infection in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are few reports which the tests used for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori infection and monitoring its eradication in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Prospective evaluation of invasive (gastric histology, rapid urease test [RUT]) and non-invasive (stool antigen [FemtoLab H. pylori], urea breath test [UBT]) tests in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection and post-treatment eradication in children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-two patients (50 male, 42 female) referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were prospectively enrolled. UBT was performed and stool specimens collected for monoclonal enzyme immunoassay for H. pylori antigen (FemtoLab) 1 to 4 days before endoscopy. H. pylori in gastric biopsies was evaluated by RUT and staining with hematoxylin-eosin and giemsa. Eradication therapy was given to children with abdominal pain and H. pylori gastritis. FemtoLab H. pylori and UBT were repeated 6 weeks after the end of triple therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histology identified H. pylori in 49 of 92 (53%) subjects. Concordance between histology and RUT was found in 78 of 92 children. FemtoLab H. pylori was positive in 41 of 78 (52.6%) children with sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 97.5%, 94.7%, 95.1% and 97.3%, respectively. For UBT, these values were 100%, 96.9%, 97.5% and 100%, respectively. Twenty-six of 36 patients who received triple therapy returned for eradication evaluation. Tests for H. pylori antigen in stool were positive in 10 of 26 and for UBT in 11 of 26.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stool antigen (FemtoLab) and UBT were equally effective in diagnosing and confirming eradication of H. pylori infection in children.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Meyer Children's Hospital of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eliakim
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sprecher
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berkowitz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Eshach-Adiv
authors.forename: Raanan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shamir
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001944:Breath Tests; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014510:Urease / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D014510:Urease