Sensitivity and specificity of an in-house rapid urease test for detecting Helicobacter pylori infection on gastric biopsy
Chomvarin, C.; Chantarasuk, Y.; Mairiang, P.; Kularbkaew, C.; Sangchan, A.; Chanlertrith, K.; Namwat, W.
Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 37(2): 312-319
2006
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-1562 PMID: 17124992 Document Number: 596644
We developed an in-house rapid urease test (PUT) and evaluated the efficacy and the agreement of the PUT and the cRUT compared with culture and histology for the detection of H. pylori infection. Five PUT media were tested with H. pylori isolates and other bacteria. The most suitable iRUT medium was further evaluated for detection of H. pylori infection. Gastric biopsies from 120 patients were diagnosed by culture, iRUT, cRUT and histology. The results of the PUT and cRUT were read at 30 minutes, 1 hour and up to 24 hours. A true positive result was either the culture or both the RUT (cRUT or iRUT) and the histological examination being positive. The sensitivity and specificity of the PUT result at 30 minutes, 1 hour and up to 24 hours were 77.1% and 100%, 77.6% and 100%, and 94.1 % and 94.2%, respectively. Values for the same parameters of cRUT were 87.5% and 100%, 89.8% and 100%, and 100% and 94.2%, respectively. The agreement between the PUT and cRUT was very good (kappa values >= 0.82). Our results indicate that the PUT is a-sensitive, specific and cost effective test. It can be appropriately applied for detecting H. pylori infection in gastric biopsy specimens.