title: Managing dyspepsia in the young adult patient: effects of different tests for Helicobacter pylori in a "test-and-scope" approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate how different methods for the detection of Helicobacter pylori influence on a "test, score and scope" decision approach in young dyspeptic patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete data from 341 patients (52.2% males) were analyzed. One hundred and ten (32%) were H. pylori-positive by definition. The rapid serology test was true-positive in 64 patients, false-positive in 8, and false-negative in 46. For the EIA IgG serology test, the corresponding results were 99 true-positive, 7 false-positive, and 11 false-negative. If the H. pylori fecal test or urea breath test had been applied, 108 (98%) and 107 (97%) positives would have been correctly detected, respectively, as well as 14 and 7 false positives. Models using test data in a setting of decreasing H. pylori prevalence show that test properties have increasing significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a selection strategy for young dyspeptics based on the detection of H. pylori, the choice of test should be made with caution. H. pylori fecal test would probably give the best basis for such selection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Harstad, Norway. per.christian.valle@unn.no
authors.forename: Per C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: Ragnar K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Breckan
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: Odd
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kildahl-Andersen
authors.forename: Eyvind J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Paulssen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015415:Biomarkers