Accurate diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is mandatory for the effective management of many gastroduodenal diseases. Currently, various diagnostic methods are available for detecting these infections, and the choice of method should take into account the clinical condition, accessibility, advantage, disadvantage, as well as cost-effectiveness. The diagnostic methods are divided into invasive (endoscopic-based) and non-invasive methods. Non-invasive methods included urea breath test, stool antigen test, serology, and molecular methods. Invasive methods included endoscopic imaging, rapid urease test, histology, culture, and molecular methods. In this article, we provide a review of the currently available options and recent advances of various diagnostic methods.
Breath Tests ; Diagnosis* ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Methods ; Urea ; Urease

Radiotherapy uses high-energy X-rays or other particles to destroy cancer cells and medical practitioners have used this approach extensively for cancer treatment (Hachadorian et al., 2020). However, it is accompanied by risks because it seriously harms normal cells while killing cancer cells. The side effects can lower cancer patients' quality of life and are very unpredictable due to individual differences (Bentzen, 2006). Therefore, it is essential to assess a patient's body damage after radiotherapy to formulate an individualized recovery treatment plan. Exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be changed by radiotherapy and thus used for medical diagnosis (Vaks et al., 2012). During treatment, high-energy X-rays can induce apoptosis; meanwhile, cell membranes are damaged due to lipid peroxidation, converting unsaturated fatty acids into volatile metabolites (Losada-Barreiro and Bravo-Díaz, 2017). At the same time, radiotherapy oxidizes water, resulting in reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can increase the epithelial permeability of pulmonary alveoli, enabling the respiratory system to exhale volatile metabolites (Davidovich et al., 2013; Popa et al., 2020). These exhaled VOCs can be used to monitor body damage caused by radiotherapy.
Breath Tests/methods* ; Exhalation ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Respiratory System/chemistry* ; Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis*

OBJECTIVETo compare a new device (Innocor) for non-invasive measurement of cardiac output (CO) by foreign gas rebreathing method with conventional techniques used in the measurements of cardiac function.

METHODSCardiac outputs measured by Innocor (CO(RB)) were compared with CO obtained by echocardiography (CO(EC)), Swan-Ganz thermodilution (CO(TD)), and left ventricle radiography (CO(LVR)) in 34 patients subjected to cardiac catheterization. Values obtained from the four methods were analyzed by linear regression and paired values were compared by the method of Bland and Altman in SPSS.

RESULTSThere was strong positive correlation (r=0.94) between Innocor cardiac output values and the corresponding values obtained by thermodilution and between CO(EC) and CO(LVR) values. Thermodilution appears to overestimate cardiac output when compared to the values obtained with Innocor by (0.66+/-0.22) L/min (P<0.0001). There was no correlation between data obtained by Innocor and the corresponding CO(EC) and CO(LVR) values.

CONCLUSIONInnocor CO(RB) is an easy, safe and well established method for non-invasive measurement of cardiac output with good prospects for clinical application in heart disease patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Breath Tests ; methods ; Carbon Dioxide ; Cardiac Output ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Heart Function Tests ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Animals ; Breath Tests ; methods ; Carbon Isotopes ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Liver Function Tests ; methods ; Male ; Phenylalanine ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Lactulose breath test (LBT) has been used as a presumptive surrogate marker for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). However, recent reports suggest that abnormal LBT cannot discriminate patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) from the control. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of LBT in IBS. METHODS: LBT from 76 IBS patients, 70 functional bowel disorders (FBD), and 40 controls were examined. LBT was considered positive if (1) baseline breath hydrogen (H2) >20 parts per million (ppm) or rise of breath H2 >20 ppm above the baseline in <90 mins, or (2) baseline breath methane (CH4) >10 ppm or rise of breath CH4 >10 ppm above the baseline in <90 mins. The subjects were categorized into predominant hydrogen producers (PHP), predominant methane producers (PMP), combined producer, and both negative group based on LBT. RESULTS: The rate of abnormal LBT in the IBS, FBD, and control group were 44.7%, 41.4%, and 40.0% respectively without significant differences. The rate of PHP or PMP was not significantly different among the IBS, FBD, and control group. When clinical characteristics were analyzed in IBS and FBD according to LBT types, IBS subtypes and symptoms were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: LBT was not useful to discriminate IBS/FBD patients from the control. The assessment of SIBO by LBT in IBS should be revalidated in the future.
Adult ; Breath Tests/*methods ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Intestine, Small/*microbiology ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome/*diagnosis ; Lactulose/*diagnostic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Predictive Value of Tests

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between nitrite levels in the exhaled breath condensates (EBC) and the severity of asthma.

METHODSSixty asthmatic patients with exacerbation (including 23 with mild, 21 with moderate, and 16 with severe asthma) and 23 healthy nonsmokers were enrolled in this study. The lung function tests were performed and nitrite levels measured in the EBC by the spectrophotometry and nitric oxide assay kit in these subjects. The percentage of eosinophils was also measured in induced sputum by Wright staining.

RESULTSThe concentrations of nitrites in the EBC and the percentage of eosinophils in induced sputum in the asthmatic patients were significantly higher than those of the healthy subjects (P<0.01), and showed positive correlations to the disease severity. A significant positive correlation was found between nitrites in the EBC and percentage of eosinophils in induced sputum (r=0.706, P<0.01). The concentration of exhaled nitrites was inversely correlated to MEF50% (r=-0.806, P<0.01) and FEV1% (r=-0.724, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONNitrite level in the EBC may serve as useful indicators for estimating the severity of asthma.

Adult ; Asthma ; metabolism ; Breath Tests ; methods ; Case-Control Studies ; Exhalation ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitrites ; analysis ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Severity of Illness Index ; Young Adult

Breath Tests ; methods ; Child ; Humans ; Infant ; Lung Diseases ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Lung Volume Measurements ; Maximal Voluntary Ventilation ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Tidal Volume

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The standard guideline for the management Helicobacter pylori infection in Korean children is not present until now. In present study, we conducted the questionnaire survey to investigate the real situation of H. pylori eradication in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Questionnaire concerning the indications of H. pylori eradication, the first choice of treatment modality, the decision method of eradication result, experience of eradication failure, the second choice of treatment modality was sent to doctors who are members of the Korean Society for Pediatric Gastorenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. RESULTS: A total of 28 doctors (90.3%) answered the questionnaires among 31 doctors. The most common indication for eradication of H. pylori was peptic ulcer (n=24) followed by chronic abdominal pain (n=17) and positive family history of gastric cancer (n=12). The most common choice of first-line eradication therapy was omeprazole, amoxicillin, clarithromycin triple therapy (n=21) and followed by bismuth subsalicylate, amoxicillin, metronidazole, clarithromycin quadruple therapy (n=7). The results of treatment were judged by C13-urea breath test after 2 months later in 19 doctors (67.8%). Twenty four (85.7%) out of 28 doctors had experienced treatment failure. The most common second-line therapy was the sequential therapy (58.3%, 14 doctors among 24). CONCLUSIONS: This was the first study for the survey of the treatment of H. pylori infection to Korean pediatricians. The results of this study showed that most pediatric gastroenterologists used to treat H. pylori infection according to the textbook and the common use of bismuth-based quadruple therapy for the first-line treatment was notable.
Abdominal Pain ; Amoxicillin ; Bismuth ; Breath Tests ; Child* ; Clarithromycin ; Gastroenterology ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Methods ; Metronidazole ; Omeprazole ; Peptic Ulcer ; Pilot Projects* ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Treatment Failure

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The current standard regimen for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection is a combination of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), amoxicillin, and clarithromycin. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of PPIs taken separately before a meal for the treatment of H. pylori infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 160 patients who were tested positive for rapid urease in Kosin Unversity Gospel Hospital between January 2008 and December 2012. The patients were divided into two groups (n=80 in each group) based on the method of administration of the H. pylori triple therapy. Group A took a PPI before a meal and amoxicillin and clarithromycin after a meal. Group B took all three medications together after a meal. The 13C-urea breath test was performed after 4 weeks to assess the eradication of H. pylori. RESULTS: H. pylori was eradicated in 58/80 (72.5%) patients in group A and 60/80 (75.0%) patients in group B, with no significant difference between the groups (P=0.719). Adverse effects occurred in 4 patients of group A and 7 patients of group B (5.0% and 8.8%, respectively); however, the difference between the groups was not significant (P=0.232). CONCLUSIONS: Administration of all medicines at once after a meal may be the better prescription for treatment, considering patient convenience and improved likelihood of compliance.
Amoxicillin ; Breath Tests ; Clarithromycin ; Compliance ; Helicobacter pylori ; Helicobacter ; Humans ; Meals ; Methods ; Prescriptions ; Proton Pump Inhibitors ; Proton Pumps ; Protons ; Retrospective Studies ; Urease

Acetamides ; pharmacokinetics ; Adult ; Aged ; Breath Tests ; methods ; Carbon Isotopes ; pharmacokinetics ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Liver Function Tests ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Serum Albumin ; metabolism