Tackling the challenge of Helicobacter pylori in record time with the ULTRA-FAST UFT300 Quick Test

Win Ho, Area Sales Manager at BIOHIT HealthCare

Helicobacter pylori infection is a common – yet potentially curable – cause of a number of gastrointestinal disorders, including dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disease, and precancerous conditions such as atrophic gastritis (AG). Fast and efficient diagnosis of H. pylori infection with a rapid urease test (RUT) during gastroscopy can therefore go a long way to help diagnose these conditions. In this blog, Win Ho, Area Sales Manager at BIOHIT HealthCare, explores how the H. pylori ULTRA-FAST UFT300 Quick Test from BIOHIT HealthCare plays a pivotal role in the diagnostic pathway, providing high sensitivity and specificity in record time.

When is H. pylori dangerous?

H. pylori infections have long been associated with causing a myriad of gastrointestinal disorders, including dyspepsia and AG. The link between H. pylori infection and peptic ulcer disease is perhaps the most well understood, as it is responsible for 95 per cent of duodenal, and 70-80 per cent of gastric ulcers,¹ but an ever-increasing body of evidence shows that it can also increase the risk of gastric cancer . Since 1994, H. pylori has been categorised as a Group I Carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a division of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Gram-negative spiral bacterium thrives in the acidic environment of the stomach, and is believed to colonise approximately 30 per cent of individuals in the UK. An infection characterised by inflammation and disruption to the protective mucus layer can develop in around half of these cases, leaving the mucosa susceptible to acid erosion and resulting in gastrointestinal complications. There are also some strains of H. pylori that are associated with greater risk of advanced disease – such as gastric adenocarcinoma – including those types with greater virulence or pathogenicity, or bearing the cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA) protein.

Test-and-treat for H. pylori infections

Eradicating H. pylori early, which typically involves a triple-therapy regime of a proton pump inhibitor and two antibiotics, can help to reduce the risk of further gastrointestinal disorders, ulcer bleeding or malignancy. European guidelines and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) advocate a ‘test-and-treat’ pathway for H. pylori.¹ As the name suggests, this emphasises the importance of confirming the presence of the bacterium before commencing eradication therapy. This can help to maximise the efficacy of treatments and reduce unnecessary antibiotics usage, potentially slowing down the development of antibiotic resistance.

What is a RUT?

RUTs are invaluable tools in the diagnostic arsenal for H. pylori infection, offering a simple, low cost and relatively fast method for patients that are already undergoing gastroscopy. They have been around since the 1980s, and offer several benefits over culture and histology, including lower costs and faster results. Given their high sensitivity and specificity, these tests are generally regarded as one of the best options for the diagnosis of H. pylori. However, traditional RUTs have been somewhat hindered by their slow turnaround times, despite still offering a marked improvement over the two to five days required for culturing the bacteria.² This delay in results limits the clinical utility of the test, as patients are forced to leave their endoscopy appointments empty handed, still waiting for an answer to their symptoms,³ and providers are left juggling tests that linger in the endoscopy unit waiting to be read and reported long after the patient has gone. This delays the onset of treatment.

It is also much more challenging to monitor and standardise the time that tests are given to react over such an extended period, as the time of evaluation may depend on service demand, clinician availability or clinic opening times. This can create inconsistencies in interpreting the results, for example, when tests are left over the weekend and given too long to develop. In fact, some studies suggest that time to evaluation can have a significant impact on the accuracy of diagnostic tests.⁴

H. pylori ULTRA-FAST UFT300 Quick Test

The H. pylori ULTRA-FAST UFT300 Quick Test from BIOHIT HealthCare has transformed the diagnostic process and reporting of H. pylori infections in endoscopy settings, by providing an answer in just five minutes. The solution works by detecting the urease enzyme activity of H. pylori from antrum and corpus mucosal biopsies, as the enzyme breaks down urea in the test to form ammonia, causing a rise in pH that is shown by an indicator. This fast reaction enables endoscopists to provide patients with on-the-spot, reliable results, and input the information directly into the patient record at the end of the procedure. Patients with confirmed H. pylori infections can then begin their eradication therapies sooner, and those with negative results can be reassured that they are not at risk.

This also provides several benefits to endoscopy units, including optimising staff time and standardising reporting consistency by removing the delay in turnaround time. Clinicians can confidently report results, as the test provides an impressive accuracy of 97.5 per cent, sensitivity of 94.5 per cent and specificity of 100 per cent when compared to gold standard histology and C13 urea breath tests.⁵

The new standard in rapid diagnostics for endoscopy

Over 275 hospitals in the UK alone have already switched to the H. pylori ULTRA-FAST UFT300 Quick Test, and many more services are benefiting from this test across the globe. Nurses and endoscopists that are using this product as part of their daily practice often state that the biggest benefit is the fact that they can report the results before the patient has even left the theatre. This reduces any complications with paperwork, streamlines the process and saves time. Crucially, this test is widely available for clinicians from a trusted source. If you would like to use the H. pylori ULTRA-FAST UFT300 Quick Test in your unit, contact us to arrange an onsite training session.

References

1. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Helicobacter pylori https://bnf.nice.org.uk/treatment-summaries/helicobacter-pylori-infection/
2. Blanchard TG, Nedrud JG. (2006). Laboratory maintenance of helicobacter species. Curr Protoc Microbiol. Chapter 8:Unit8B.1. doi:10.1002/9780471729259.mc08b01s00
3. McNicholl, et al. Helicobacter pylori Study Group of the Asociación Española de Gastroenterología (AEG) (2017). Accuracy of the ultra-rapid urease test for diagnosis of Helicobacter pyloriGastroenterologia y hepatologia, 40(10), 651-657
4. Hsu WH, et al. (2010). Dual specimens increase the diagnostic accuracy and reduce the reaction duration of rapid urease test. World J Gastroenterol. 16(23):2926-2930. doi:10.3748/wjg.v16.i23.2926
5. Vaira D, et al. (2010). Accuracy of a new ultrafast rapid urease test to diagnose Helicobacter pylori infection in 1000 consecutive dyspeptic patients. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 31, 331–338.