Published online Jul 1, 2004. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i13.1907
Revised: February 2, 2004
Accepted: February 9, 2004
Published online: July 1, 2004
AIM: To prospectively assess the sensitivity, specificity and time to positivity of theUltra-rapid urease test (URUT) for Helicobacter pylori (H pylori ), and compare the results of one with those of two biopsies.
METHODS: Five antral biopsies were taken in consecutive patients undergoing upper endoscopy: one and two biopsies for URUT, and one each for H pylori culture and histology. URUT was read at 1, 5, 10, 20 and 30 min, 1, 2, 3 and 24 h after biopsy insertion into the reagent. A positive histology and/or culture was used as positive reference ”gold standards”.
RESULTS: URUT was more sensitive for detecting H pylori with two biopsies rather than one, at all time points up to 120 min. The sensitivity improved from 3.6% to 82.1% for one biopsy and 10.7% to 85.7% for two biopsies from 1 to 120 min. The sensitivity reached 96.4% at 24 h for both, but the specificity reduced from 100% to 96% and 92% for one and two biopsies, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Development of a positive URUT result is hastened by doubling the number of gastric biopsies. We recommend taking two instead of one biopsy to achieve an earlier positive URUT result so that H pylori eradication therapy can be initiated before patient is discharged from the endoscopy suite.