BIOCHEMICAL AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL ASPECTS IN DUODENOGASTRIC REFLUX GASTRITIS PATIENTS WITH OR WITHOUT PRIOR CHOLECYSTECTOMY

The aim of this study was to evaluate some biochemical and histopathol ogical aspects in a group of patients with a view to identifying any d ifferences depending on whether the pathology was associated with prev ious cholecystectomy or idiopathic. The study involved 23 patients (8 post-cholecystectomy cases and 15 ulcer-free dyspeptic patients) with the diagnosis of duodenogastric reflux gastritis confirmed by endoscop ic histopathological evaluation. The following parameters were conside red : 1. pH and bile salt concentration in gastric juice ; 2. histolog ical classification of antral biopsies (Niemela's criteria) ; 3. dyspe ptic symptoms (dyspepsia, pyrosis and epigastric pain, sense of replet ion, foul-tasting mouth) graded on a scale from 0 to 4. All parameters were considered in relation to whether or not Helicobacter Pylori was found in the histological specimens. No significant differences were found between the two groups for pH and bile salt values or for Helico bacter Pylori positivity. No relationship was observed between the Hel icobacter Pylori and either the severity of the histological picture, the features of the biochemical parameters or the severity of the clin ical symptoms. Such findings confirm the common pathophysiological pat tern of reflux gastritis regardless of any permanent biliary tract alt erations and the low importance of Helicobacter Pylori infection in de termining this syndrome.