Dyspepsia: When and How to Test for Helicobacter pylori Infection

Dyspepsia is defined as symptoms related to the upper gastrointestinal tract. Approximately 25% of western populations complain of dyspeptic symptoms each year. 70% of them do not have an organic cause and symptoms are related to the so-called functional dyspepsia, characterized by epigastric pain,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Gastroenterology research and practice 2016-01, Vol.2016 (2016), p.1-9
Main Authors: Usai-Satta, Paolo, Bassotti, Gabrio, Pes, Gianni, Dore, Maria Pina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Age
Antigens
Care and treatment
Colleges & universities
Development and progression
Diagnosis
Disease
Dyspepsia
Endoscopy
Family medical history
Gastric cancer
Helicobacter infections
Infections
Pain
Patients
Review
Ulcers
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Summary:Dyspepsia is defined as symptoms related to the upper gastrointestinal tract. Approximately 25% of western populations complain of dyspeptic symptoms each year. 70% of them do not have an organic cause and symptoms are related to the so-called functional dyspepsia, characterized by epigastric pain, early satiety, and/or fullness during or after a meal occurring at least weekly and for at least 6 months according to ROME III criteria. In order to avoid invasive procedures and adverse effects, to minimize costs, to speed up diagnosis, and to provide the most appropriate treatments, primary care physicians need to recognize functional dyspepsia. Because symptoms do not reliably discriminate between organic and functional forms of the disease, anamnesis, family history of peptic ulcer and/or of gastric cancer, medication history, especially for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, age, and physical examination could help the physician in discerning between functional dyspepsia and organic causes. For patients without alarm symptoms, noninvasive testing for H. pylori, with either carbon-13-labeled urea breath testing or stool antigen testing, is recommended as a first-line strategy. In this review, we provide recommendations to guide primary care physicians for appropriate use of diagnostic tests and for H. pylori management in dyspeptic patients.
ISSN:1687-6121
1687-630X
DOI:10.1155/2016/8463614