A 20‐Minute Breath Test for Helicobacter pylori

Barry J. Marshall, Michael W. Plankey, Susie R. Hoffman, Cheryl L. Boyd, Kevin R. Dye, Henry F. Frierson, Richard L. Guerrant, Richard W. McCallum

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

130 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated a simplified rapid 14C‐urea breath test for the diagnosis of Helicohacter pylori. Fasting patients undergoing initial assessment for H. pylori drank 5 μCi of 14C‐urea in 20 ml of water. Breath was collected at intervals for 30 min. Samples were counted in a β‐counter, and the results were expressed as counts per minute (cpm). In the same week, patients underwent endoscopy, and a blinded investigator examined biopsy samples of gastric mucosa by culture and histology for H. pylori. There were 49 H. pylori‐negative (HP‐) and 104 H. pylori‐positive (HP+) patients in the study. HP+ patients expired a mean of 4398 cpm (SD 2468) per mmol CO2 in a sample taken 20 min after ingestion of the isotope. In contrast, HP‐patients expired only 340 cpm (SD 196). If the mean +3 SD of HP‐ patients was used as a cutoff value, the 20‐minute sample gave a sensitivity of 977c and a specificity of 100% for detecting H. pylori. The radiation exposure from this test is less than 1% of that received from an upper gastrointestinal series, and the short collection time makes it both convenient and cost effective.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)438-445
Number of pages8
JournalThe American Journal of Gastroenterology
Volume86
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 1991
Externally publishedYes

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