C-13 UREA BREATH TEST FOR HELICOBACTER-PY LORI - VALIDATION OF THE METHOD

Helicobacter pylori has been implicated as an agent in the pathogenesi s of antral gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcer and probably in gast ric cancer. The C13 urea breath test is a diagnostic method quick to p erform, sensitive, reliable and non invasive, It is based on the prese nce of Helicobacter pylori urease activity, wich permits to detect it in the infected mucosa, A sustrate (urea) labelled with Carbon 13 is a dministered to the pacient and exhaled breath is collected to detect t he possible catabolism product (CO2 labelled with C13). In the Europea n protocol, pacients in fasting condition are given a test meal to del ay gastric emptying and five minutes later a solution wich contents 10 0 mg of C13 labelled urea, Breath samples are collected before and 30 minutes after urea was given, In our first year of experience, 363 pat ients with Helicobacter pylori infection detected by histology or urea se were studied by C13 urea breath test, with a sensitivity and specif icity of 95 and 96%, False negatives may occur if the test is used aft er antibiotics and other antiulcerogenic drugs. Its main indication is to monitorize eradication therapy after treatment, Its possible use a s a quantitative test still remains unclear.