Abstract
Two hundreds patients were examined using upper gastrointestinal endoscopy toevaluate gastritis in relation to Helicobacter pylori infection. Histological assessment forinflammatory cell infiltration, mucosal atrophy, and frequency of intestinal metaplasia wasperformed in gastric biopsy specimens according to the "Sydney system". Serologicalmarkers of gastritis, like pepsiniogen I, pepsinogen, II, and gastrin were also measured. H.pylori status was determined by histological examionation and serum anti H.pylori IgG antibody. There was no difference in the prevalance of H.pylori in gastritis patients between those with clinical symptom and without. The frequency of inflammatory cell(mononuclear cells and polymorphonuclear cells)infiltration in H.pylori positive patients was significantly higher than that in H.pylori negative patients. The frequency of H.pylori infection did not differ in those with atrophic gastritis from those without, whereas thefrequency of intestinal metaplasia became significantly higher in those with moderate andsevere atrophy. Although there was no significant difference rn serum pepsinogen I levelsbetween H.pylori positive and negative patients, serum pepsinogen II levels were significantly increased in H.pylori positive patents. The serum pepsinogen I-II ratio was significantly lower in H.pylori positive patients. Serum fasting gastrin levels weresignificantly increased in H.pylori positive patients. These results suggest that H.pylori infection plays an important rode in the pathogenesis of chronic and atrophic gastritis andin the development of intestinal metaplasia.
