ABSTRACT
To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of serological testing in detection of H. pylori infection taking histopathology as gold standard. This study was a cross sectional survey carried out at the Histopathology department of Shaikh Zayed Federal Postgraduate Medical Institute Lahore from 27[th] December 2005 to 23[rd] November2006.A total of 100 adult patients of both genders with complaints of non-ulcer dyspepsia from whom gastric biopsies were taken by endoscopy in the Gastroenterology Department were included in the study. Two tests namely, histopathological identification of H. pylori [gold standard] and serological test were carried out on each patient. The diagnostic accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of serological test were calculated. The diagnostic accuracy of serological testing in detection of H. pylori infection was 62% in the present study. The sensitivity was 88.6% and Specificity was 41.07%. Positive predictive value and negative predictive value was 54.16% and 82.1% respectively. This test is useful for detecting a newly infected patient, but it is not a good test for follow up of treated patients because the results do not indicate if this is a recent infection with H. pylori or otherwise