The clinical value of the polymerase chain reaction technique in detection of pediatric helicobacter pylori infection

Objective To investigate the clinical value of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique in detection of pediatric helicobacter pylori(HP) infection. Methods A total of 130 children with different digestive tract symptoms received esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and 120 children between 3 and 17 years old were enrolled.The gastric antrum mucosa was taken under the gastroscope for 2 blocks, and the gastric juice was absorbed as the specimen.One block of gastric antrum mucosa was examined histopathologically, and the other block of gastric antrum mucosa and gastric juice were examined by PCR.We used the primers UreC, HP-16s, CSTP to detect HP, and then used the primers Cag750 and Cag595 to detect CagA. Results A total of 28 cases (23.33%) of upper gastrointestinal ulcer were detected by gastroscopy, and HP was detected by histopathological method in 26 cases (21.67%), and 41 cases (34.17%) were detected by PCR method.The detection rate of HP by PCR was significantly higher than that of HP in pathological method (χ2=4.659, P=0.031). By pathological examination of HP, 14 cases (50%) and 12 cases (13.04%) with peptic ulcers and no peptic ulcers were detectd, and the difference in detection rate was statistically significant(χ2=17.275, P<0.001). Samples of children with peptic ulcers and no peptic ulcers were detected in 16 cases(57.14%) and 25 cases (27.17%) by PCR, and the difference in detection rate was statistically significant (χ2=8.572, P=0.003). The CagA were detected in 7 cases of peptic ulcers and 7 cases of non peptic ulcers by PCR, and the difference in detection rate was statistically significant (25.00% vs 7.61%, χ2=6.300, P=0.012). Conclusion The PCR method could quickly and sensitively detect the HP and its CagA gene, and the detection of gastric mucosa and gastric juice by PCR could improve the detection rate of HP.A combination of PCR and pathological method is suggested as the detection method for children′s HP infection. Key words: Children; Helicobacter pylori; Histopathology examination; Polymerase chain reaction; CagA,