Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test: results of a prospective study

There are now many tests and pathological examinations to detect Helicobacter pylori (Hp), but most have disadvantages such as being invasive, expensive, or unobtainable for a widespread population. The Hp stool antigen (SA) test has been advocated as a safe and cost-effective method of diagnosing Hp. Thus, we conducted a prospective study to examine the reliability of the Helicobacter pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test.

The subjects were 100 patients who underwent endoscopic manipulation at Istanbul Haseki Education and Research Hospital. Endoscopy specimens were studied by a pathologist, for routine pathological analysis and for the presence of Hp. Fecal specimens were studied using the HpSA test in the laboratory of the Department of Infectious Diseases at our hospital. The pathology results were compared with the HpSA test results, since pathological examination was the reference standard of our study. The Chi(2) test was used for statistical comparison of the values.

According to the pathology results, Hp was present in 82 patients, whereas the HpSA test was positive in 77 patients and negative in 23 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 91%, 83%, 96%, and 65%, respectively.

The HpSA test results were similar to the pathology results, with sensitivity and specificity of 91% and 83%, respectively. Thus, the HpSA test appears to be an effective method of detecting Hp in patients who are not candidates for endoscopy.