This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Laheij, R. J. F.
Right arrow Articles by Verbeek, A. L. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Laheij, R. J. F.
Right arrow Articles by Verbeek, A. L. M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, May 1998, p. 1193-1196, Vol. 36, No. 5
0095-1137/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Short-Term Follow-Up by Serology of Patients Given Antibiotic Treatment for Helicobacter pylori Infection

R. J. F. Laheij,1,* E. M. Witteman,1 P. Bloembergen,2 R. W. de Koning,3 J. B. M. J. Jansen,1 and A. L. M. Verbeek4

Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Nijmegen,1 Department of Microbiology2 and Department of Internal Medicine,3 Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital Nijmegen, and Department of Epidemiology, University of Nijmegen,4 Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Received 25 August 1997/Returned for modification 19 December 1997/Accepted 3 February 1998

Helicobacter pylori serology and in particular enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the measurement of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody titers form an accurate means of diagnosing H. pylori infection in patients before treatment. H. pylori serology is of limited value in monitoring treatment because of the slow decline in antibody titers. In the present study we aimed to measure the most suitable moment after antibiotic treatment at which serology should be used to monitor treatment. Sixty-four patients who had nonulcer dyspepsia and H. pylori infection and who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy because of persistent dyspeptic symptoms were included in the study. H. pylori cure was confirmed by histology and culture 5 weeks after the completion of the antibiotic treatment. Serological examination was performed before therapy and at 5 weeks, 10 weeks, and 1 year after the completion of antibiotic treatment. Diagnostic performance was assessed by receiver-operating characteristic analysis. The areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curves of the H. pylori antibody titers at 5 weeks, 10 weeks, and 1 year after the completion of treatment were 0.53 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36 to 0.69), 0.60 (95% CI, 0.43 to 0.76), and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.63 to 0.93), respectively. The areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curves of the changes in H. pylori IgG antibody titers at 5 weeks, 10 weeks, and 1 year after the completion of treatment in comparison with the pretreatment titers were 0.85 (95% CI, 0.72 to 0.97), 0.96 (95% CI, 0.89 to 1.0), and 1.0 (95% CI, not estimable), respectively. We conclude that serology forms a useful means of monitoring treatment in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia and H. pylori infection as early as 10 weeks and maybe even sooner after the completion of treatment for the infection.


* Corresponding author. Mailing address: MIES (152), P.O. Box 9101, NL 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Phone: 31-243614295. Fax: 31-243613505. E-mail: R.Laheij{at}mie.kun.nl.


Journal of Clinical Microbiology, May 1998, p. 1193-1196, Vol. 36, No. 5
0095-1137/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • FIGUEROA, G., TRONCOSO, M., TOLEDO, M.S., FAUNDEZ, G., ACUNA, R. (2002). Prevalence of serum antibodies to Helicobacter pylori VacA and CagA and gastric diseases in Chile. J Med Microbiol 51: 300-304 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Laheij, R. J. F., Straatman, H., Jansen, J. B. M. J., Verbeek, A. L. M. (1998). Evaluation of Commercially Available Helicobacter pylori Serology Kits: a Review. J. Clin. Microbiol. 36: 2803-2809 [Full Text]