Is upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy required for diagnosis and treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in childhood?: Pro and cons

Non invasive tests are available and accurate for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection in children. They are safer and cheaper than endoscopy. Peptic ulcer and severe gastro-intestinal lesions associated with H. pylori infection are rare in childhood. However since the resistance to antibiotics is steadily increasing, biopsies are still required to assess sensitivity of germs to antibiotics. Search of H. pylori infection should be limited to the children presenting digestive symptoms severe enough to justify endoscopy and treatment. (C) 2003 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.