Comparison of three stool antigen tests in confirming Helicobacter pylori eradication in adults.
OBJECTIVE
Reliable and readily available non-invasive methods are needed for detection of Helicobacter pylori infection and assessment of eradication therapy. In H. pylori-positive subjects we compared three stool antigen tests (Premier Platinum HpSA, Amplified IDEIA HpStAR and ImmunoCard STAT!HpSA) with invasive tests before their eradication therapy, and with non-invasive diagnostic methods after their therapy.


METHODS
A total of 82 adults with dyspepsia (aged 24-79 years) with an H. pylori-positive rapid urease test were enrolled in the study. Before therapy, H. pylori status was also confirmed with histology, culture and serology. After eradication, success was assessed with the [13C]-urea breath test (UBT) and usually also with serology.


RESULTS
At baseline, sensitivities of these stool antigen tests were 90.2% for HpSA, 97.6% for HpStAR and 96.3% for ImmunoCard. Eradication therapy was successful in 66 patients and unsuccessful in 16. Sensitivity and specificity of the three stool antigen tests in the post-eradication setting were, respectively, 75.0% and 95.5% for HpSA, 93.8% and 98.5% for HpStAR and 87.5% and 95.5% for Immunocard.


CONCLUSIONS
The performance of all three stool antigen tests in the post-treatment setting was slightly inferior to that of the UBT test and serology, with monoclonal antibody-based tests showing better results.
Veijola
Lea
L
Peijas Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Vantaa, Finland.
Oksanen
Aino
A
Löfgren
Tuuli
T
Sipponen
Pentti
P
Karvonen
Anna-Liisa
AL
Rautelin
Hilpi
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001944:Breath Tests; D005243:Feces; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014510:Urease
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D014510:Urease