biostudies-literatureUnknown183(13)Chiang TH<h4>Background</h4>Previous studies have suggested that the immunochemical fecal occult blood test has superior specificity for detecting bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal tract even if bleeding occurs in the upper tract. We conducted a large population-based study involving asymptomatic adults in Taiwan, a population with prevalent upper gastrointestinal lesions, to confirm this claim.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a prospective cohort study involving asymptomatic people aged 18 years or more in Taiwan recruited to undergo an immunochemical fecal occult blood test, colonoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy between August 2007 and July 2009. We compared the prevalence of lesions in the lower and upper gastrointestinal tracts between patients with positive and negative fecal test resultCMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne1474-81https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3176840biostudies-literaturePerformance of the immunochemical fecal occult blood test in predicting lesions in the lower gastrointestinal tract.PMC3176840Lee YCTu CHChiu HMWu MSChiang THfalsePerformance of the immunochemical fecal occult blood test in predicting lesions in the lower gastrointestinal tract.<h4>Background</h4>Previous studies have suggested that the immunochemical fecal occult blood test has superior specificity for detecting bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal tract even if bleeding occurs in the upper tract. We conducted a large population-based study involving asymptomatic adults in Taiwan, a population with prevalent upper gastrointestinal lesions, to confirm this claim.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a prospective cohort study involving asymptomatic people aged 18 years or more in Taiwan recruited to undergo an immunochemical fecal occult blood test, colonoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy between August 2007 and July 2009. We compared the prevalence of lesions in the lower and upper gastrointestinal tracts between patients with positive and negative fecal test result2011-01-01T00:00:00Z2011 Sep2025-04-04T08:06:51.276Z2019-03-27T00:44:08ZS-EPMC31768402181095110.1503/cmaj.101248