VALIDATION OF 14C-UREA BREATH TEST FOR DIAGNOSIS OF Helicobacter pylori

• Main Authors: Rejane MATTAR, Fernando Marcuz SILVA, Ana Maria ALEXANDRINO, Antonio Atílio LAUDANNA
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 1999
• Subjects: 14C urea breath test; Helicobacter pylori diagnosis; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/cd9f4146873441328233a395a14e6110

The aim of this study was to validate the 14C-urea breath test for use in diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection. Thirty H. pylori positive patients, based on histologic test and thirty H. pylori negative patients by histology and anti-H. pylori IgG entered the study. Fasting patients drank 5 uCi of 14C-urea in 20 ml of water. Breath samples were collected at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 min. The difference of cpm values between the two groups was significant at all the time intervals, besides time 0 (p<0.0001). At 20 min, the test gave 100% sensitivity and specificity with a cut-off value of 562 cpm. Females were higher expirers than males (p=0.005). 14C-urea breath test is highly accurate for Helicobacter pylori diagnosis. It is fast, simple and should be the non-invasive test used after treating Helicobacter pylori infection.