FOLLOW-UP OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI POSITIVE GASTRITIS AND ARGYROPHIL CELLS PATTERN DURING THE NATURAL COURSE OF GASTRIC-ULCER

Background. A follow-up of argyrophil cell hyperplasia in Helicobacter pylori-positive corpus gastritis in gastric ulcer patients during the natural course of ulcer disease. Methods. Endoscopic biopsies (4 spec imens) were obtained step-wise from the posterior wall of the corpus m ucosa in 55 gastric ulcer (GU) patients. The natural course of GU was followed up in 38 patients during more than 10 years (maximum 19 years ), and altogether 115 endoscopic examinations were made: 20 patients w ere re-examined once, 14 twice, and 4 three times. A total of 364 biop sies from 307 biopsy sites were stained by Grimelius' silver, hematoxy lin-eosin, and Giemsa method for the analysis of the argyrophil endocr ine cells, chronic gastritis, and H. pylori colonization, respectively , according to the Sydney System. Results. Of 307 biopsy sites, 153 (5 0%) showed some grade of AGH. Focal (linear/micronodular) hyperplasia was found in 118 (77%) of biopsy sites; it was detected in 78 (66%) ca ses of atrophic corpus mucosa, but was present in only 14 (12%) cases of gastritis without atrophy or in the normal mucosa. In the follow-up patients, ACH evolved in 17 and progressed in 6 cases, and a simultan eous development of atrophic corpus gastritis was found in 20 cases. C onclusion. This study demonstrates that ACH evolves during the natural course of GU, alongside the development of chronic atrophic gastritis .