Epidemiological analysis and use of rapid urease test in patients with perforated peptic ulcers

To analyze the epidemiological profile of patients with gastroduodenal ulcer perforation and verify if the presence of H. pylori in the peritoneal and intraluminal secretions of these patients can be assessed by rapid urease test.

We conducted a prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study with data from patients in a hospital at a regional level, in patients with peptic ulcer. During surgery, we collected peritoneal fluid samples (in the vicinity of the perforation) and intraluminal secretion, sending them for culture and rapid urease test.

Fourteen patients were analyzed. The average age was 41.06 years, all men, Whites (71.4%), smokers (57.2%), BMI <30 (85.7%), with a history of dyspepsia (78.6%). Serology for H. pylori was positive in 84.6% of cases. The rapid urease test was positive in 78.6% of the samples of the digestive tract and 42.8% of samples from the peritoneal cavity; 41.6% were positive at both sites, 50% only in the digestive cavity and 8.4% only in the peritoneal cavity. Of the 11 patients with positive serology for H. pylori, 100% were positive in at least one of the sites surveyed.

It was found that the incidence was lower than expected. There is significant association between infection with H. pylori and the occurrence of perforation. The presence of this pathogen can be assessed both by serology and by the realization of the rapid urease test from fluid collected in the peritoneal cavity and the gastric / duodenal lumen.