Biohit Oyj press release 4 September 2017 at 9:30 am. local time (EEST)
A group of prominent gastroenterologists in Bologna, Italy, collaborating with a biostatistician from Leeds University, UK, published an important meta-analysis in an esteemed gastroenterology journal (Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics)(1).
This is the second meta-analysis on GastroPanel® literature, published less than one year after the first one that appeared in 2016, completed by the Department of Clinical Research at Biohit (2). Similar as in the first meta-analysis (2), the authors assessed the performance of the GastroPanel® test for the diagnosis of atrophic gastritis (AG)(1).
As expected, the key results of this new meta-analysis are similar as obtained in the first meta-analysis. Accordingly, the pooled sensitivity for GastroPanel® in diagnosis of AG was 74.7% and the pooled specificity was 95.6% (1). The authors concluded that the biomarker panel comprising pepsinogens, gastrin-17 and anti- H. pylori antibodies (GastroPanel®) is a reliable tool for the diagnosis of AG. GastroPanel® is recommended for screening of the subjects for AG, who are at high risk of gastric cancer (1).
Chief Medical Director, Prof. Kari Syrjänen, Biohit Oyj: “Using a slightly different statistical approach, this new meta-analysis could reproduce the results that we reported in 2016; the pooled sensitivity of 70.2% and pooled specificity of 93.9% (2). These minor differences are neatly explained by the fact that the new study did not take into account the topographic location of AG (antrum or corpus), whereas the first analysis was done separately for antrum and corpus (2). In evidence-based medicine, a well-conducted meta-analysis is considered to represent the highest level of evidence, and as such the new meta-analysis provides important confirmatory evidence substantiating the value of GastroPanel® in screening of gastric cancer risks.”
CEO Semi Korpela, Biohit Oyj: ”GastroPanel® provides a lot of information for the diagnosis of dyspepsia and H. pylori infection. It increases patient safety and saves costs (3-5). The 13C-urea breath test (13C-UBT) used previously for dyspepsia and helicobacter testing, is no longer offered by the Gastroenterology Clinic of Helsinki University as a sub-contractor. Therefore, Huslab Laboratory of Helsinki University removed the 13C-UBT from its test catalogue. This is understandable since 13C-UBT as well as the antigen test and the H. pylori antibody tests alone have well-known limitations (3,4). “
References
1.Zagari RM, Rabitti S, Greenwood DC, Eusebi LH, Vestito A, Bazzoli F. Systematic review with meta-analysis: diagnostic performance of the combination of pepsinogen, gastrin-17 and anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies serum assays for the diagnosis of atrophic gastritis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2017;1-11, doi: 10.1111/apt.14248.
2.Syrjänen K. A Panel of serum biomarkers (GastroPanel®) in non-invasive diagnosis of atrophic gastritis. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Anticancer Res 2016;36:5133-5144.
3.Syrjänen K. Serological biomarker panel (GastroPanel®): A test for non-invasive diagnosis of dyspeptic symptoms and for comprehensive detection of Helicobacter pylori infection. Biomark. J 2017;3:1-10.
4. www.biohithealthcare.com/additional-information
5. www.gastropanel.com/decision-makers/screening-model
Additional information:
Chief Medical Director, professor Kari Syrjänen, Biohit Oyj kari.syrjanen@biohit.fi or
CEO Semi Korpela, Biohit Oyj
tel. +358 9 773 861
investor.relations@biohit.fi
www.biohithealthcare.com
Biohit in brief
Biohit Oyj is a globally operating Finnish biotechnology company. Biohit mission is “Innovating for Health” – we produce innovative products and services to promote research and early diagnosis. Biohit is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, and has subsidiaries in Italy and the UK. Biohit Series B share (BIOBV) is quoted on Nasdaq Helsinki in the Small cap/Healthcare group. www.biohithealthcare.com
