Method for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection, and a diagnostic kit for performing the method

Abstract

The method for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection by the oral administration of defined amounts of 13C-labeled urea and examination for 13C content of blood samples removed at a defined time is effected by a) removing from 0.1 to 0.6 ml of capillary blood from the finger or ear lob of a patient or venous blood of a patient, in both cases with an empty stomach before the beginning of the test; b) administering an exact amount of from 10 to 50 mg of 13C-urea in aqueous solution with a pH value of 2 to 4 to the patient; c) again removing capillary or venous blood exactly after 10 to 15 min from the administration; and d) determining the 13C content of the blood samples by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), and deducing the presence of Helicobacter pylori from the increase of the 13C values.

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