Loading...
The diagnosis of atrophic gastritis (AG), a precursor to gastric cancer, is based on histologic findings. Use of a serology panel of gastrin-17 (G-17), pepsinogens (PGs) I and II, and antibodies to Helicobacter pylori (Hpab) levels is suggested as a noninvasive approach to detect AG. To assess the diagnostic accuracy of this serum panel, investigators conducted a meta-analysis of data from nearly 4000 participants across 20 studies. Results were as follows:
Pooled data showed a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 96%.
The positive likelihood ratio was 17 and negative likelihood ratio 0.3.
Using the pooled median prevalence of 27% for AG, the negative-predictive value was 91% and the positive-predictive value was 86%.
Variation in measuremen…