Is the local acid output an important factor for Helicobacter pylori colonization?

Background/Aims: Low local acid production is considered to be an important factor for Helicobacter pylori colonization. The increased bacterial densi ty and inflammation are expected in cardiac mucosa because of low acid secr etion. We aimed to investigate the bacterial density and the histologic pat tern of gastritis in the cardia, and to compare with those of the antrum an d corpus. Methodology: The biopsy specimens taken from the antrum, corpus and cardia. in 97 patients during endoscopy were examined histopathologically. Results: The mean scores for bacterial density in the cardia, corpus and an trum. were 1.32 +/-0.35, 1.09 +/-0.86, 1.42 +/-0.97, respectively. Bacteria l density of the cardia was significantly higher than that in corpus, but w as similar to the antrum. The mean scores for the degree of gastritis in th e cardia, corpus and antrum were 1.56 +/-0.79, 1.64 +/-0.75, 1.85 +/-0.77, respectively. Gastritis was significantly more severe in the antrum than in the corpus and cardia. The activity scores of gastritis in the three regio ns were statistically similar. Conclusions: Although bacterial density in the cardiac mucosa were found to be high, the degree of gastritis was low.