Accuracy and economics of Helicobacter pylori diagnosis

Many diagnostic tests are available to establish Helicobacter pylori infection status. Most of the tests are accurate though none works perfectly, and no gold standard for diagnosis exists. Newly developed serum immunoassay kits can substitute for laboratory-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, but whole blood immunoassays do not yet demonstrate adequate performance characteristics. Serologic diagnosis of H. pylori remains the most cost-effective option and should be utilized to establish initial infection in the majority of cases. If rapid urease testing is performed at endoscopy, negative results can be confirmed with a subsequent serologic test in those patients with a high probability of infection. Obtaining additional gastric tissue at endoscopy to evaluate for bacterial infection is reasonable if specimens are being taken for a mucosal defect. Confirmation of bacterial eradication cannot be justified for all post-treatment patients at present due to the expense. It is important to test for cure in those patients with complicated ulcer disease and those with recurrent symptoms after therapy.