Comparison of the Quantitative Values of C-14 and C-13 UBT to Reflect the Presence and Degree of Ongoing Helicobacter pylori Infection

Purpose: A urea breath test (UBT) using C-14 or C-13 has been developed for identifying Helicobacter (H) pylori infection on the basis of urease production with release of labeled $CO_2$. We investigated if the C-14 and C-13 UBT have the difference to reflect the presence and degree of H. pylori infection detected by gastro-duodenoscopic biopsies (CBx) in the same patients. Materials and methods: Thirty eight patients (M:F = 28:10, age $53.4{\pm}13.0$ yrs) with upper gastrointestinal symptoms such as indigestion, gastric fullness or pain consecutively underwent C-14 UBT, GBx and C-13 UBT within one week before medications. For the C-14 UBT, a single breath sample was collected at 10 minutes after ingestion of C-14 urea (37 KBq) capsule and counting was done in a liquid scintillation counter for 1 minute, and the results were classified as positive (${\ge}$ 200 dpm), intermediate (50-199 dpm) or negative (50 dpm). For the C-13 UBT, the results were classified as positive (${\ge}2.5\%_{\circ}$) or negative ($<2.5\%_{\circ}$). The results of GBx with Giemsa stain were graded 0 (normal) to 4 (diffuse) according to the distribution of H. pylori by the Wyatt method. We compared C-14 UBT and C-13 UBT results with GBx grade as a gold standard. Results: The prevalence of H. pylori infection by GBx with Giemsa stain was 25/38 (65.8%). In the assessment of the presence of H. pylori infection, the C-14 UBT global performance yielded sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of 92.0%, 92.3%, 95.8%, 91.7% and 92.1%, respectively. However, the C-13 UBT had sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of 96.0%, 84.6%, 92.3%, 91.7% and 92.1%, respectively. The more significant correlation in C-14 than C-13 UBT (r=0.948 vs r=0.819, p <0.001) was found between the value of UBT and the grade of distribution of H. pylori infection. Conclusion: We conclude that the diagnostic performance between C-14 and C-13 UBT to detect H. pylori infection is not significantly different, but the value of C-14 UBT more significantly reflects the degree of bacterial distribution.

Helicobacter pylori 감염 유무와 정도 반영에 대한 C-14와 C-13 요소호기검사 정량치 비교

목적: 최근 들어 H. pylori에 의한 염증이 진행되면 만성 위축성위염을 일으키고 나아가서는 위암을 일으킨다는 학설이 대두되면서 UBT의 이용이 증가되고 있다 저자들은 H. pylori 감염과 분포 정도를 평가하는데 C-14 와 C-13 UBT의 진단성능과 유용성에 차이가 있는지를 알아보았다. 대상 및 방법: 소화불량, 위 팽만감, 상복부동통 등의 상부위장관증상이 있어 위십이지장내시경을 시행 받은 환자 중 균박멸요법을 시행 전에 조직검사, C-14 및 C-13 UBT를 모두 시행 받은 38명(남:녀=28:10, 나이; $53.4{\pm}13.0$세)을 대상으로 하였다. 조직생검 결과를 최적 기준으로 하여 C-14 와 C-13 UBT의 진단성능을 비교하였고 Wyatt법에 의한 조직검사의 등급(0-4)과 C-14 및 C-13 UBT의 정량적 측정치와의 상관관계를 비교하였다. 결과: 조직생검에서 25명(65.8%)에서 H. pylori 감염에 대한 양성을 보였다. H. pylori 감염 진단하는데 C-14 UBT는 민감도 92.0%, 특이도 92.3%, 양성예측도 95.8%, 음성예측도 91.7%, 정확도는 92.1% 이었으나, C-13 UBT는 민감도 96.0%, 특이도 84.6%, 양성 예측도 92.3%, 음성예측도 91.7%, 정확도는 92.1% 이었다. 조직검사 등급에 따른 C-14 UBT 측정치와의 상관성이 C-13 UBT 측정치에 비하여 우수하였다(각각 r=0.948 vs r=0.818, p<0.001). 결론: H. pylori 감염을 진단하는데 C-14 와 C-13 UBT는 유의한 차이는 없으나 C-14 UBT 측정치가 H. pylori 감염 정도를 평가하는데 좀 더 유용할 것으로 생각된다.