ABSTRACT
Urea breath tests have a unique role in detecting Helicobacter pylori and are the best method for assessing eradication. However, the urease of H. pylori has a very high affinity for urea and, although the trend to use smaller quantities of urea is welcomed, it is important to ensure that the intragastric concentration of isotope is greater than the K max of the urease. In contrast to endoscopic biopsy based methods for detecting H. pylori, which are prone to sampling error, the urea breath test (UBT) detects H. pylori over a much greater surface area of the stomach, and theoretically is a quantitative measure of the extent of H. pylori infection. Preliminary results from studies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay serology have suggested that screening patients noninvasively for H. pylori before endoscopy may decrease the endoscopic work load. The C-UBT offers the ideal method of monitoring patients in whom eradication of H. pylori is being attempted.
