ABSTRACT
The measurement of total pepsin activity by colorimetry, and gastrin by radioimmunoassay method was performed on the sera of 100 patients [80 with duodenal ulcer and 20 with non-ulcer dyspepsia] before and 4 weeks after the end of antibacterial treatment for eradication of Helicobacter pylori. While in the sera of non-HP-eradicated cases [n=26] no change of total pepsin activity and gastrin assessing occurred, in the sera of HP-eradicated cases [n=74], a mean decrease of 31% and 23% was observed for total pepsin activity and gastrin respectively [p < 0.005]. A decrease of more than 10% or more of pepsin activity in serum suggests eradication of H. pylori with an overall accuracy of 97%. Monitoring the total pepsin activity in the sera appears to be a cheap, simple and suitable test for eradication of H. pylori in underdeveloped countries