Rapid urease test, touch cytology and histopathologic assessment in determining infection by Helicobacter pylori in outpatient setting

Helicobacterpylori (HP) is a common cause of gastric infection with serious consequences which is detected by different methods. This study aimed at comparing the diagnostic value of Rapid Urease Test (RUT), Touch Cytology (TC) and histopathologic assessment in outpatients setting. In this cross-sectional study, 51 candidates for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were recruited in Tabriz Imam Khomeini Teaching Centre in a 24 month period of time. Three biopsy specimens were obtained from gastric antrum during endoscopic intervention. The RUT, TC and histopathologic assessment were performed on each biopsy specimen in each patient. Definite infection by HP was considered when at least 2 out of 3 tests indicated presence of infection. Fifty one patients, 29 females and 22 males with a mean age of 40.10 +/- 12.54 (range: 18-72) years enrolled in this study. Infection by HP was definite in 41 cases (80.4%). The infection rates by RUT, TC and histopathologic examination were 82.4, 82.4 and 76.5%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of RUT, TC and histopathologic assessment were 92.7, 60 and 66.75%; 100, 90 and 98% and 95.1, 100 and 96.1%, respectively. There were significant agreements between outcomes of the three methods in diagnosis of infection by HP. In conclusion, TC was the most sensitive and histopathologic assessment was the most specific method in diagnosis of infection by HP in outpatient setting. The diagnostic value of RUT was rather low in this regard.