BIOHIT’s test panel for stomach health backed by further evidence

A recent study published by the research group of Professor Francesco Di Mario at Parma University, Italy, found a strong relationship between low levels of plasma Gastrin-17 (G-17) and the manifestation of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD).¹ These results add to the weight of evidence behind GastroPanel^®, a test produced by BIOHIT Oyj, that includes G-17 as one of three biomarkers used in combination with a Helicobacter pylori IgG assay to distinguish the stomach health of patients with gastrointestinal problems.

GastroPanel is designed for the first-line diagnosis of H. pylori infection and atrophic gastritis in patients with dyspepsia or GERD. It is a non-invasive blood test that offers an easy way to check the stomach mucosa and gastric acid secretion in the patient. This can lead to an informed decision of whether further examination is needed – usually by gastroscopy – and ultimately to the early discovery and intervention of gastrointestinal disorders.

Current UK guidelines recommend an H. pylori stool antigen test in the care pathway of patients with gastrointestinal problems. However, this test fails to show mucosal damage due to long-term infection, including gastric atrophy (GA) or gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM), both of which are precursors to cancer. In addition to testing for H. pylori infection, GastroPanel tests for three stomach-specific biomarkers – pepsinogen I, pepsinogen II and G-17 – that provide more information than a stool test alone, helping to non-invasively identify patients at risk.

Graham Johnson, Managing Director of BIOHIT HealthCare Ltd, commented: “The results from this study showed that GERD patients both in primary care, and those that had been referred, had statistically significant lower levels of G-17 compared with the dyspeptic patients.1 This confirms that the G-17 biomarker is a reliable predictor of GERD, and further extends the scope of gastric diseases detectable with the GastroPanel. We hope this helps to implement the wider use of the GastroPanel, which is a proven, cost-effective strategy in screening patients at risk of gastric cancer."

Want the latest science news straight to your inbox? Become a SelectScience member for free today>>

References

1. Di Mario F, Crafa P, Franceschi M, et al. Low Levels of Gastrin 17 are Related with Endoscopic Findings of Esophagitis and Typical Symptoms of GERD. JGLD [Internet]. 2021.