15 Nov 99

Breath tests capturing interest

GPs throughout Scotland are showing interest in a new breath testing service offered by scientists at the University of Dundee, which could reduce the number of patients requiring expensive and invasive techniques such as endoscopy.

The team at the Applied Scottish Stable Isotope Technology Unit in the University's department of anatomy and physiology offers a number of breath tests to help with the diagnosis, monitoring and assessment of treatments for a range of diseases associated with gastric or duodenal ulcers and other stomach and bowel conditions. Included in these tests is a Carbon-13 Urea BreathTest, used to detect helicobacter pylori, a bacterium usually found in the stomach of patients suffering from ulcers. This test, which has a European licence, is available in kit form as a prescription only medicine.

"The real beauty of breath tests is that they are safe, fast, non radioactive and non-invasive. They don't require any blood or tissue to be taken; they will save some patients from undergoing uncomfortable, time-consuming and expensive procedures such as endoscopies and they can be done in GPs own surgeries," said Brian Weryk who, with colleagues Dr Peter Watt and Dr Wolfram Meier-Augenstein comprise the team.

"Most medical services have, in the past, been rather slow in making use of breath test technology. We hope to change that attitude with this new drive to make Scottish doctors and hospitals aware of the benefits of breath testing."

Breath tests usually involve the patient swallowing a tablet or drink containing a non-radioactive tracer compound, then using a straw to blow into a glass tube at regular intervals over a period of time that can be as short as 30 minutes. The breath samples collected are then analysed in the laboratory and results are usually available within 48 hours or less.

In recent weeks ASSIST has approached all GPs and NHS Trust directors in Scotland outlining the advantages of the tests available, including the Carbon 13 Urea Breath Test. Other tests can help small bowel bacterial overgrowth - avoiding X-rays and radiation in the process; and the Carbon 13 Acetate breath test used for to measure gastric emptying - an important factor in diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

ASSIST is also developing a breath test to gauge liver function which is presently being tracked via invasive procedures such as blood tests and liver biopsies.

"We are pleased to find that the initial response from GPs and hospitals to the breath tests has been encouraging," said Mr Weryk./ends

Contact Brian Weryk 01382 344584
Dr Wolfram Meier Augenstein 01382 345124
Dr Peter Watt 01382 344577