Age and gender differences in urea breath test results

Area of Science:

• Medical diagnostics
• Gastroenterology
• Microbiology

Background:

• The (13)C urea breath test ((13)C-UBT) is a key diagnostic tool for Helicobacter pylori infection.
• UBT results exhibit variability across different age demographics.
• Understanding age- and gender-based trends in UBT results is crucial for accurate interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize age- and gender-specific trends in (13)C-UBT results for H. pylori diagnosis.
• To analyze the fluctuations of UBT values from early childhood to late adulthood.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 21,767 positive (13)C-UBT results from a national H. pylori referral laboratory (2007-2008).
• Data stratified by age groups and gender.
• Statistical analysis of delta over baseline (DOB) values in relation to age and sex.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in mean UBT DOB values was observed with increasing age in both males and females during childhood and young adulthood.
• UBT results reached a nadir in the 19-30 years age group for both genders.
• A moderate increase in UBT results was noted in individuals over 60 years old.
• Females consistently showed higher UBT results than males across most age groups, including early childhood and old age.

Conclusions:

• Mean (13)C-UBT values for H. pylori diagnosis decrease during the first decade of life and increase after the sixth decade.
• Significant gender-based differences in UBT results persist throughout life, with females generally having higher values.
• These findings highlight the importance of considering age and gender when interpreting (13)C-UBT results for H. pylori infection.