BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The significance of @entity1534 (Hp) infection in asymptomatic @entity1 is largely unknown. This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the diagnostic and, if appropriate, therapeutic relevance of a noninvasive screening for Hp. In addition, the practicality and validity of a simple serological test on whole blood was elucidated. @entity1 AND METHODS: 100 consecutive @entity1 (29 males, 71 females, median age 46 [18-79] years) of a general medical practice, seen in November of 1997, were included. Three @entity1 had to be subsequently excluded, because they had been treated for @entity13639 . All @entity1 were given a standard interview after which a serological whole-blood test (BM-Test @entity1534 ; Boehringer Mannheim) and a @entity19018 breath test were performed as noninvasive reference. Endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract was offered if the serology and/or the breath test were gative. RESULTS: The Hp prevalence was 40%, rising significantly with age. The rapid serology test, when related to the breath test, had a negative and positive predictive value of < 80%. 44 of the 47 @entity1 with a positive serological or breath test agreed to endoscopy. Eleven of them had a clinically significant abnormality macroscopically or histologically: four of them were found to have an @entity13639 . CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic Hp-positive @entity1 frequently have clinically abnormal findings in the upper gastrointestinal tract. These data point to the need for a large multi-centre study with cost-effect analysis to evaluate a noninvasive Hp screening test in nonsymptomatic @entity1 as a public health measure. The @entity19018 breath test would be suitable as such a screening method.

[ XXXX screening in a general practice].

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'PATIENTS', 'persons'] @entity19018 :: ('CHEBI:32285', 'Chemical') :: ['13C-urea'] @entity13639 :: ('MESH:D016481', 'Disease') :: ['Hp infection'] @entity1534 :: ('210', 'Species') :: ['Helicobacter pylori']
@entity1534 :: (210,Species) :: ['Helicobacter pylori']
