Helicobactor pylori: Sensitivity and Specificity

Introduction: From UpToDate (http://www.utdol.com/online/content/topic.do?topicKey=acidpep/4732 ):

The ACG guidelines made the following conclusions:

Testing for H. pylori should be performed only if the clinician plans to offer treatment for positive results.

* Testing is indicated in patients with active peptic ulcer disease, a past history of documented peptic ulcer or gastric MALT lymphoma.

The test-and-treat strategy for H. pylori (ie, test and treat if positive) is a proven management strategy for patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia who are under the age of 55 years and have no "alarm features" (bleeding, anemia, early satiety, unexplained weight loss, progressive dysphagia, odynophagia, recurrent vomiting, family history of GI cancer, previous esophagogastric malignancy).

* Deciding which test to use in which situation relies heavily upon whether a patient requires evaluation with upper endoscopy and an understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, and costs of the individual test.

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Tags: Gastrointestinal Problem Infection Tag this Diagnosis.

The sensitivity and specificity of findings for Helicobactor pylori are listed below. See the left navigation bar to change the display.

Sensitive and Specific Findings

Antral biopsy urease test

90%

95%

[sens/spec is per UpToDate]

One reason for lack of specificity: If specifmen contains less common non-pylori gastric helicobacters, which give only weakly positive results in the biopsy urease test. Positive identification of these bacteria requires visualization of the characteristic long, tight spirals in histologic sections.

Adapted from Harrison's Online Chapter 144: Helicobactor pylori infections

Study: Am J Gastroenterol. 2007 Aug;102(8):1808-25. PMID 17608775

Urea breath test

93%

92%

in patients with an UGIB.

Study: Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Apr;101(4):848-63. PMID 16494583

Specific Findings

Finding	Sensitivity	Specificity	Comments, Study
Biopsy culture	45%	98%	In addition to diagnosis, biopsy culture allows for determination of antibiotic sensitivity Study: Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Apr;101(4):848-63. PMID 16494583
Rapid urease test	67%	93%	in patients with UGIB. Study: Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Apr;101(4):848-63. PMID 16494583
Biopsy histology	70%	90%	in patients with UGIB. Study: Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Apr;101(4):848-63. PMID 16494583

Sensitive Findings

Serology

88%

69%

in patients with UGIB

Study: Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Apr;101(4):848-63. PMID 16494583

Stool antigen test

87%

70%

in patients with UGIB

Study: Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Apr;101(4):848-63. PMID 16494583