Sorted By Test Name - Mayo Medical Laboratories

HELM
82749
disease, low-grade gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALT), and following
resection of early gastric cancer, it is appropriate to confirm eradication. In other situations, the decision
to confirm Helicobacter pylori eradication should be made on a case-by-case basis." This consensus group
further specifies that there is no indication to test asymptomatic people and that testing for Helicobacter
pylori is only recommended if treatment is planned.
Interpretation: The Helicobacter pylori urea breath test can detect very low levels of Helicobacter
pylori and, by assessing the entire gastric mucosa, avoids the risk of sampling errors inherent in biopsy
based methods. In the absence of gastric Helicobacter pylori, the (13)C-urea does not produce (13)CO2 in
the stomach. A negative result does not rule out the possibility of Helicobacter pylori infection. If clinical
signs are suggestive of Helicobacter pylori infection, retest with a new specimen or an alternative method.
A false-positive test may occur due to urease associated with other gastric spiral organisms observed in
humans such as Helicobacter heilmannii. A false-positive test could occur in patients who have
achlorhydria.
Reference Values:
Negative
Clinical References: 1. NIH Consensus Development Panel: Helicobacter pylori in peptic ulcer
disease. JAMA 1994;272:65-69 2. Soll AH: Medical treatment of peptic ulcer disease. Practice Guidelines
(for Practice Parameters Committee of the American College of Gastroenterology). JAMA
1996;275:622-629 3. Thijs JC, van Zwet AA, This WJ, et al: Diagnostic tests for Helicobacter pylori: a
prospective evaluation of their accuracy, without selecting a single test as the gold standard. Am J
Gastroenterol 1996;91:2125-2129 4. Cutler AF, Havstad S, Ma CK, et al: Accuracy of invasive and
noninvasive tests to diagnose Helicobacter pylori infection. Gastroenterology 1995;109:136-141 5. Report
of the Digestive Health Initiative. International Update Conference on Helicobacter pylori. Tysons
Corner, McClean, VA, February 13-16, 1997
Helminthosporium halodes, IgE
Clinical Information: Clinical manifestations of immediate hypersensitivity (allergic) diseases are
caused by the release of proinflammatory mediators (histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins) from
immunoglobulin E (IgE)-sensitized effector cells (mast cells and basophils) when cell-bound IgE
antibodies interact with allergen. In vitro serum testing for IgE antibodies provides an indication of the
immune response to allergen(s) that may be associated with allergic disease. The allergens chosen for
testing often depend upon the age of the patient, history of allergen exposure, season of the year, and
clinical manifestations. In individuals predisposed to develop allergic disease(s), the sequence of
sensitization and clinical manifestations proceed as follows: eczema and respiratory disease (rhinitis and
bronchospasm) in infants and children less than 5 years due to food sensitivity (milk, egg, soy, and wheat
proteins) followed by respiratory disease (rhinitis and asthma) in older children and adults due to
sensitivity to inhalant allergens (dust mite, mold, and pollen inhalants).
Useful For: Testing for IgE antibodies may be useful to establish the diagnosis of an allergic disease
and to define the allergens responsible for eliciting signs and symptoms. Testing also may be useful to
identify allergens which may be responsible for allergic disease and/or anaphylactic episode, to confirm
sensitization to particular allergens prior to beginning immunotherapy, and to investigate the specificity of
allergic reactions to insect venom allergens, drugs, or chemical allergens.
Interpretation: Detection of IgE antibodies in serum (Class 1 or greater) indicates an increased
likelihood of allergic disease as opposed to other etiologies and defines the allergens that may be
responsible for eliciting signs and symptoms. The level of IgE antibodies in serum varies directly with the
concentration of IgE antibodies expressed as a class score or kU/L.
Reference Values:
Class IgE kU/L Interpretation
0 Negative
1 0.35-0.69 Equivocal
Current as of January 4, 2013 7:15 pm CST 800-533-1710 or 507-266-5700 or MayoMedicalLaboratories.com Page 866