Healing of active, non-atrophic autoimmune gastritis by H-pylori eradication

Background and Aims: The antigastric antibodies present in Helicobacter pyl ori infection act as a marker for an ongoing antigastric autoimmune process in the gastric mucosa, which can already be diagnosed in the non-atrophic stage. In a retrospective, uncontrolled study, therefore, we investigated t he question as to whether this type of gastritis can be healed by the eradi cation of H. pylori. Patients and Methods: In 80 patients with an active, n ot yet atrophic autoimmune gastritis, we analysed a maximum of four investi gations per patient over a period of up to 39.5 months. The following param eters were graded in the antral and corpus mucosa prior to and after H. pyl ori eradication treatment: grade and activity of the gastritis, H. pylori c olonization, atrophy, parietal cell hypertrophy, and incidence of intestina l metaplasia. In addition, the typical parameters for this type of gastriti s, such as grade of the periglandular lymphocytic infiltration, grade of gl andular destruction and incidence of nodular ECL cell proliferates in the c orpus mucosa were determined. Results: In 64 patients (80%), H. pylori erad ication treatment was followed by healing of the active autoimmune corpus g astritis, that is, the activity of the gastritis disappeared, and lymphocyt ic infiltration of the glands, glandular destruction and parietal cell hype rtrophy was found to be significantly reduced. Conclusions: Our uncontrolle d, retrospective study confirms the existence of an active, not yet atrophi c autoimmune gastritis as a sequela of H. pylori infection. Copyright (C) 2 001 S. Kargar AG, Basel.