Background: There are few histopathologists in West African region. Histology results on gastric mucosal biopsies for Helicobacter pylori (HP) usually take between one to two weeks to be out. On the other hand, clo-test results for Helicobacter pylori can be read between 5 minutes to 24 hours. Is one justified to commence therapy based on the clo-test ahead of the histology result? Where there is no histopathology services as in many centers in West Africa can one rely on clo-test alone?
Aim: To evaluate the correlation between clo-test (urease) and histological findings of gastric mucosal biopsies.
Design: Prospective study.
Setting: Endoscopic unit of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Patients: Twenty duodenal ulcer (DU) patients seen consecutively in the endoscopy unit.
Intervention: Upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy, antral biopsies for the clo-test and histopathology.
Result: There was 100% correlation between the clo-test and histological findings among all the 20 patients.
Conclusion: Clo-test (urease) is reliable enough to be used to commence therapy aimed at ulcer healing and HP eradication.