First endoscopic-histologic follow-up in patients with body-predominant atrophic gastritis: When should it be done?

Background: Body-predominant atrophic gastritis is considered a risk factor for gastric cancer and carcinoid, Timing of follow-up for patients with th is disorder has not been defined,This study was undertaken to determine the optimal time for the first endoscopic/histologic follow-up in patients wit h body-predominant atrophic gastritis, Methods: Forty-two patients with body-predominant atrophic gastritis were r andomly assigned to 1 of 2 follow-up intervals: group A (n = 22) at 24 mont hs and group B (n = 20) at 48 months. At baseline and follow-up patients un derwent gastroscopy at which biopsies were obtained from the antrum and bod y for histopathology and evaluation for enterochromaffin-like cells. Results: In group A patients, 2 antral hyperplastic polyps (9.1%) were pres ent at baseline and 4 antral hyperplastic polyps (18.2%) were found at foll ow-up. In group B patients, baseline gastroscopy revealed 2 antral hyperpla stic polyps (10%) and follow-up 2 antral hyperplastic polyps (10%) and 1 ca rcinoid tumor (5%) in the body, Atrophy and intestinal metaplasia scores in gastric body and antral mucosa in both groups did not change significantly between baseline and followup, except an increase in antral mucosa atrophy in group a patients (p = 0.02) was revealed. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that performing the first f ollow-up in patients with body-predominant atrophic gastritis need not be e arlier than at 4 years after diagnosis, This interval is satisfactory for d etection of potential neoplastic lesions.