Objective. Helicobacter pylori infection has not been stud- ied thoroughly in elderly patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of stool antigen assay (HpSA) in the assessment of H. pylori infect...Objective. Helicobacter pylori infection has not been stud- ied thoroughly in elderly patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of stool antigen assay (HpSA) in the assessment of H. pylori infection in hospitalized, frail, elderly patients. Material and methods. The study population consisted of 85 consecutively recruited elderly patients (≥ 65 years old) hospitalized between May 1999 and December 2001 with diagnostic indications for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Twenty- nine subjects had been receiving treatment with proton- pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as omeprazole (10- 20 mg/day) for 2- 15 days, and 56 were not receiving treatment. HpSA was evaluated versus UBT (urea breath test), serology and histology: patients with at least two positive results out of the latter three tests were considered positive for H. pylori infection, while patients with at least two negative tests out of three were considered negative. Results. The sensitivity and specificity of HpSA in the 56 untreated patients were, respectively, 76% (true positives TP = 22; false negatives FN = 7) and 93% (true negatives TN = 25; false positives FP =2). The sensitivity and specificity of HpSA in the 29 patients on PPI treatment were, respectively, 82% (TP = 9; FN = 2) and 83% (TN = 15; FP = 3). Conclusions. HpSA is an accurate, noninvasive and easy method for diagnosing H. pylori infection in elderly patients.展开更多
Objectives:Aim of the present paper is the study of the large unreported component,characterizing the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic event in Italy,taking advantage of the Istat survey.Particular attention is devoted to the sens...Objectives:Aim of the present paper is the study of the large unreported component,characterizing the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic event in Italy,taking advantage of the Istat survey.Particular attention is devoted to the sensitivity and specificity of the serological test and their effects.Methods:The model satisfactory reproduces the data of the Italian survey showing a relevant predictive power and relegating in a secondary position models which do not include,in the simulation,the presence of asymptomatic groups.The corrections due to the serological test sensitivity(in particular those ones depending on the symptoms onset)are crucial for a realistic analysis of the unreported(and asymptomatic)components.Results:The relevant presence of an unreported component during the second pandemic wave in Italy is confirmed and the ratio of reported to unreported cases is predicted to be roughly 1:4 in the last months of year 2020.A method to correct the serological data on the basis of the antibody sensitivity is suggested and systematically applied.The asymptomatic component is also studied in some detail and its amount quantified.A model analyses of the vaccination scenarios is performed confirming the relevance of a massive campaign(at least 80000 immunized per day)during the first six months of the year 2021,to obtain important immunization effects within August/September 2021.展开更多
文摘Objective. Helicobacter pylori infection has not been stud- ied thoroughly in elderly patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of stool antigen assay (HpSA) in the assessment of H. pylori infection in hospitalized, frail, elderly patients. Material and methods. The study population consisted of 85 consecutively recruited elderly patients (≥ 65 years old) hospitalized between May 1999 and December 2001 with diagnostic indications for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Twenty- nine subjects had been receiving treatment with proton- pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as omeprazole (10- 20 mg/day) for 2- 15 days, and 56 were not receiving treatment. HpSA was evaluated versus UBT (urea breath test), serology and histology: patients with at least two positive results out of the latter three tests were considered positive for H. pylori infection, while patients with at least two negative tests out of three were considered negative. Results. The sensitivity and specificity of HpSA in the 56 untreated patients were, respectively, 76% (true positives TP = 22; false negatives FN = 7) and 93% (true negatives TN = 25; false positives FP =2). The sensitivity and specificity of HpSA in the 29 patients on PPI treatment were, respectively, 82% (TP = 9; FN = 2) and 83% (TN = 15; FP = 3). Conclusions. HpSA is an accurate, noninvasive and easy method for diagnosing H. pylori infection in elderly patients.
文摘Objectives:Aim of the present paper is the study of the large unreported component,characterizing the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic event in Italy,taking advantage of the Istat survey.Particular attention is devoted to the sensitivity and specificity of the serological test and their effects.Methods:The model satisfactory reproduces the data of the Italian survey showing a relevant predictive power and relegating in a secondary position models which do not include,in the simulation,the presence of asymptomatic groups.The corrections due to the serological test sensitivity(in particular those ones depending on the symptoms onset)are crucial for a realistic analysis of the unreported(and asymptomatic)components.Results:The relevant presence of an unreported component during the second pandemic wave in Italy is confirmed and the ratio of reported to unreported cases is predicted to be roughly 1:4 in the last months of year 2020.A method to correct the serological data on the basis of the antibody sensitivity is suggested and systematically applied.The asymptomatic component is also studied in some detail and its amount quantified.A model analyses of the vaccination scenarios is performed confirming the relevance of a massive campaign(at least 80000 immunized per day)during the first six months of the year 2021,to obtain important immunization effects within August/September 2021.
