Purpose: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) infection is a high-risk factor for the occurrence of gastric cancer. The quadruple therapy has been widely used as the first-line treatment for H. pylori in China. However, the increasing resistance rate to antibiotics has become a major challenge in the treatment of H. pylori . Therefore, there is an urgent need for rapid and cost-effective detection of antibiotic resistance to different antibiotics. To evaluate the prevalence of H. pylori antibiotic resistance in Guangzhou and the diagnostic performance of DOB value of 13C UBT in predicting antibiotic resistance.
Patients and Methods: In this retrospective study, we collected data from 193 H. pylori culture-positive patients in Guangzhou on their DOB values and resistance to antibiotics. We analyzed the antibiotic resistance rate of commonly used antibiotics in quadruple therapy, and the diagnostic efficacy of DOB value was evaluated.
Results: The resistance rates of clarithromycin (CLA) and levofloxacin (LEV) were 46.1% and 44.0%, respectively. In the age group under 40, the resistance rate of LEV was lower than that of CLA. However, the diagnostic efficacy of DOB value was found to be low and it could not serve as an independent indicator for diagnosing resistance to CLA and LEV.
Conclusion: The high resistance rates of CLA and LEV in H. pylori patients in Guangzhou indicate the urgent need for effective detection methods. The DOB value is not a direct indicator of antibiotic resistance to CLA and LEV. Therefore, it is important to use a combination of diagnostic methods to accurately assess antibiotic resistance in H. pylori infection.
Keywords: Helicobacter pylori , urea breath test, DOB value, antibiotic resistance