Breath testing for dyspepsia is safe

In a randomised controlled trial by McColl and colleagues (p 999), non- invasive testing for Helicobacter pylori was found to be as safe and effective as endoscopy plus H pylori testing in the management of dyspepsia. Exclusion criteria for the trial were age over 55, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, presence of sinister symptoms, and family history of gastrointestinal malignancy or history of gastric surgery. Patients also preferred the breath test. The authors say that non-invasive testing should be the preferred mode of investigation in this group of patients with dyspepsia.

(Credit: SPL)

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Relevant Article

Randomised trial of endoscopy with testing for Helicobacter pylori compared with non-invasive H pylori testing alone in the management of dyspepsia

K E L McColl, L S Murray, D Gillen, A Walker, A Wirz, J Fletcher, C Mowat, E Henry, A Kelman, and A Dickson
BMJ 2002 324: 999. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]