Examination of patients with dyspepsia in areas with a low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection

: Examination of patients with dyspepsia is quantitatively a major task in gastroenterology. Several strategies have been used. In recent years the "test and treat strategy" has gained wide acceptance, because it is easy and without discomfort to the patient. The primary step in this strategy is a 13C-urea breath test for Helicobacter pylori. If the test is positive, the Helicobacter pylori must be eradicated. Only patients with alarm symptoms or refractory symptoms are offered gastroscopy. This strategy has been found useful in clinical trials performed in areas with a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection. To examine whether these results are valid in clinical practice in a low-prevalence country, we performed a one-year retrospective study of our modified strategy of 666 patients, in which gastroscopy is offered to patients who test negative--an "open access test and scope strategy". In all, 576 patients were referred and examined according to the strategy; 90 patients, of whom 43 had alarm symptoms, were referred erronously. We performed 322 breath tests, of which 66 were positive--49 in patients without alarm symptoms. Of the latter, 39 were improved by Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy. These were the patients who really benefitted from the strategy. Of the 230 patients with a negative breath test, 197 agreed to have a gastroscopy done, and 31 cases of oesophagitis and 3 idiopathic ulcers were found. It is concluded that the strategy is advantageous but complicated in an open-access setting.