diagnostic accuracy of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay compared with polymerase chain reaction in diagnosing helicobacter pylori in patients with gastric problems

Background: helicobacter pylori, identified in 1982, is a significant gastric pathogen affecting a large portion of the global population. objectives: this study aims to compare the diagnostic accuracy of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) and polymerase chain reaction (pcr) methods for detecting h. pylori, which is crucial for improving treatment strategies for gastric disorders. methods: the study involved 70 patients at khurshid private laboratory in tehran between july and september 2022. the goal was to identify h. pylori dna in stool samples using real-time pcr, while simultaneously testing serum samples for h. pylori using the elisa method. data were analyzed using spss software. results: in a study of 70 patients with stomach diseases, the prevalence of h. pylori infection based on pcr results was 24.29%, with a slightly higher prevalence in females than males. for diagnosing h. pylori infection, the optimal iga cut-off point was identified as 7.15 mg/dl, yielding a sensitivity of 88%, specificity of 89%, and an auc of 0.94. the optimal cut-off for igg was 95.70 mg/dl, with a sensitivity of 76%, specificity of 94%, and an auc of 0.88, using pcr results as the gold standard. conclusions: this study emphasizes the importance of accurately diagnosing h. pylori infections, highlighting that pcr offers greater sensitivity and specificity than elisa. by establishing optimal iga and igg cut-off points, the study enhances diagnostic precision, which could lead to improved therapeutic interventions and patient outcomes.