S Niemelä1, T J Karttunen, T Kerola. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, Oulu University Hospital, 90220, Oulu, Finland. seppo.niemela@ppshp.fi
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Lymphocytic gastritis is a subtype of chronic gastritis characterized by a marked increase in the number of intraepithelial lymphocytes in the gastric mucosa. Its etiology is unknown, but a proportion of these patients have Helicobacter pylori infection. The aim was to assess the significance of H. pylori treatment in lymphocytic gastritis patients. METHODOLOGY: The 10 patients with lymphocytic gastritis and either serologically or histologically diagnosed H. pylori infection were treated with a triple therapy and followed by serology and histology after 6-18 months. RESULTS: The levels of IgG antibodies for H. pylori decreased below 50% of the pretreatment values in all patients. The maximum numbers of intraepithelial lymphocytes decreased significantly (P = 0.005) from the pretreatment values. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of H. pylori infection cures lymphocytic gastritis associated with H. pylori infection. H. pylori appears to be one etiological cause of lymphocytic gastritis.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Lymphocytic gastritis is a subtype of chronic gastritis characterized by a marked increase in the number of intraepithelial lymphocytes in the gastric mucosa. Its etiology is unknown, but a proportion of these patients have Helicobacter pylori infection. The aim was to assess the significance of H. pylori treatment in lymphocytic gastritispatients. METHODOLOGY: The 10 patients with lymphocytic gastritis and either serologically or histologically diagnosed H. pyloriinfection were treated with a triple therapy and followed by serology and histology after 6-18 months. RESULTS: The levels of IgG antibodies for H. pylori decreased below 50% of the pretreatment values in all patients. The maximum numbers of intraepithelial lymphocytes decreased significantly (P = 0.005) from the pretreatment values. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of H. pyloriinfection cures lymphocytic gastritis associated with H. pyloriinfection. H. pylori appears to be one etiological cause of lymphocytic gastritis.
Authors: Johanna M Mäkinen; Seppo Niemelä; Tuomo Kerola; Juhani Lehtola; Tuomo J Karttunen Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2003-12 Impact factor: 5.742