RESUMEN
Objective To assess the reliability of a newly developed enzyme immunoassay for Helicobacter pylori-specific antigen detection in the old patients' stools. Methods The 199 old patients referred to our department for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were included. Among which, 48 patients suffered from subtotal gastrectomy previously, and 151 patients never had any gastric surgery. All patients underwent gastroscopy with biopsies for rapid urease test (RUT) and histology (Warthin-Starry stain). Used RUT and Warthin-Starry stain as gold standard, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) status was defined positive (or negative) if both RUT and Warthin-Starry stain were positive (or negative). A stool specimen was collected for each patient and tested by using a novel enzyme immunoassay for H. pylori detection (HpSA). Every patient was also detected by 13 C-urease breath test ( 13C-UBT). Sensitivity and specificity of these two tests were calculated respectively. Results H. pylori ststus was positive in 81 patients and negative in 70 patients of 151 patients. The sensitivity and specificity of HpSA were 96.3% and 90.0%, and 13 C-UBT were 92.6% and 92.9% respectively; H. pylori infection was confirmed in 23 of 48 patients with gastric surgery, the sensitivity of HpSA test for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection was 91.3% and its specificity 88.0%, and 13 C-UBT were 65.2% and 92.0% respectively, the sensitivity of 13 C-UBT was lower than HpSA in the patients with a history of gastric surgery (P