Breath test best measure of stomach woes
By GRACIELA GUTIERREZ News service

A new test that simply requires a patient to blow into a bag is the easiest and most accurate way to screen for bacteria that causes most stomach ulcers and some forms of stomach cancer, say doctors at Baylor College of Medicine.

The breath test detects the bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which lives in the stomach and is able to survive in the stomach acid, said Waqar Qureshi, M.D., associate professor of medicine and chief of endoscopy at BCM.

Bacteria causes ulcers, even cancer.

"Infection usually occurs in childhood when bacteria are ingested, usually in less than sanitary conditions," said Qureshi. "It can cause painful stomach ulcers in one out of six patients over a lifetime, and is a known cause of stomach cancer."

Doctors begin the breath test by giving the patient a drink containing a radio-labeled urea, a substance that is broken down by H. pylori.

This breakdown results in the release of labeled carbon dioxide that is detected in breath.

After 20 minutes, the patient blows into a specialized bag. The bag is then tested for the infection.

"The breath test is easy. Basically all you do is blow into a bag," Qureshi said. "It's more accurate at identifying the bacteria than other tests, particularly after trying to treat the infection."

More traditional ways of diagnosing H. pylori require endoscopy or putting a scope down a person's esophagus to obtain a sample of the stomach lining for study.

"The infection can be treated with a series of antibiotics, but another breath test is needed to confirm a successful treatment," Qureshi said. "Some patients may require more than one attempt at eradicating the bacteria."

Once a person is diagnosed with H. pylori, there is a higher chance his or her family members also have the bacteria. Doctors usually test people with a family history of stomach ulcers or cancer, or those who present with a history suggestive of ulcers, for this infection.

Much of the research and diagnostic testing for the breath test was developed by David Graham, M.D., professor of medicine at BCM.