The diagnostic accuracy of rapid urease biopsy test compared to histopathology in implementing "test and treat" policy for Helicobacter pylori.

Background: Helicobacter pylori is one of the most important causes of the varied spectrum of gastroduodenal diseases. It is important to have a rapid diagnostic method to detect the organism so as to initiate the treatment early and check its progression to malignancy.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of rapid urease biopsy test in detecting H. pylori infection and implementation of "test and treat" policy.

Methods: All patients of chronic dyspepsia not responding to conventional treatment were subjected to endoscopy, and mucosal biopsy samples were collected. A rapid urease test (RUT) and histopathology was performed on these samples and taking histopathology as gold standard for H. pylori demonstration, the diagnostic accuracy of RUT was evaluated.

Results: The specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy of RUT were 97.22%, 94.04%, 98.75%, 87.5%, and 95%, respectively.

Conclusions: Use of a rapid diagnostic test viz., rapid urease biopsy test to confirm H. pylori infection is recommended for early diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori associated gastroduodenal diseases.