Location, healing, and recurrence of gastric ulcers in relation to fundal gastritis.

The influence of fundal gastritis on the location, healing, and recurrence of gastric ulcers was studied by the endoscopic Congo red test. Results indicated a close correlation between the location of ulcers and the extent of fundal gastritis. In general, ulcers were more proximal when fundal gastritis was more severe. Of the ulcers examined, 62.5% of those not associated with fundal gastritis failed to heal, whereas 85.7% of those associated with severe fundal gastritis healed within 3 months. The presence of severe fundal gastritis was associated with a high rate of recurrence of gastric ulcers.