[The importance of obtaining biopsies of the gastric body in the follow-up after eradicating treatment of Helicobacter pylori].

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present was to study the usefulness of performing biopsies of the gastric body in addition to those normally obtained of the antrum in the control of the eradication of Helicobacter pylori after treatment.
METHODS: Sixty-four patients with duodenal ulcer and infection by H. pylori were prospectively studied. Two therapeutic schedules were used: amoxycillin/clavulanic associated with omeprazole (n = 32) and the classical triple therapy (bismuth, metronidazole, tetracycline) (n = 32). At the time of initial endoscopy and one month after completion of the treatment biopsies of the antrum and gastric body were taken for histologic (hematoxylin-eosin) and microbiologic (Gram and culture) studies. A patient was considered to have H. pylori infection when its presence was demonstrated by histologic or microbiologic methods in either of the localizations.
RESULTS: The eradication of H. pylori was globally achieved in 64% (n = 41) of the cases. In the patients in whom eradication was not achieved (n = 23), H. pylori was detected only in the antrum in 70% (30% false negatives) while this was seen in the gastric body in 96% of the cases (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Carrying-out biopsies of only the antrum after eradicating H. pylori treatment is associated with a high percentage of false negative diagnosis of infection. Therefore, additional biopsies of the gastric body are recommended.