Is Duplicate Breath Testing for H. Pylori Eradication Necessary?

Noninvasive urea breath tests (UBTs) generally are used to confirm successful eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection. In clinical trials, regulatory agencies require that at least two separate UBTs be performed no less than 4 weeks apart to confirm H. pylori eradication. The rationale for this approach is that an early test might have a false-negative result because of temporary suppression of the infection rather than complete eradication.

Now, investigators have evaluated the incremental value and the cost of duplicate UBTs in a cohort of 419 patients in Italy and the U.S. with documented H. pylori infection. Each patient underwent testing 4 weeks after completion of sequential triple therapy and then again at least 4 weeks later.

H. …