Af. Safe et al., ROLE OF SEROLOGY IN MONITORING TREATMENT FOR HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION IN ELDERLY PATIENTS, Age and ageing, 22(4), 1993, pp. 256-259
Fifteen elderly patients with type B gastritis caused by Helicobacter
pylori infection were treated with triple therapy consisting of colloi
dal bismuth subcitrate, amoxycillin and metronidazole. All were follow
ed up every 6 weeks for 3 months. After triple therapy, eradication of
the infection was confirmed in 12 patients (85%) by histology and bac
teriology. In this group, a significant reduction in IgG antibody leve
ls against H. pylori was detected (p < 0.001). In a control group of 1
5 patients with type B gastritis who received no antibacterial treatme
nt, the specific IgG antibody titre remained unchanged during 3 months
of follow-up. We conclude that this simple and noninvasive serologica
l test would be suitable for follow-up after treatment of H. pylori in
fection in elderly patients.