Relationship of Helicobacter pylori to serum pepsinogens in an asymptomatic Japanese population.
A seroepidemiologic study of the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Japan was performed, and the relationship between serum pepsinogen I and II levels (markers of gastritis and gastric atrophy) and H. pylori infection was investigated. Four hundred and eighteen asymptomatic children and adults were studied. The prevalence of anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibody increased with age. For persons born after 1950, the frequency of H. pylori infection increased at approximately 1% per year; for those born before 1950 the prevalence was high (70%-80%) and relatively constant. Serum pepsinogen I and II levels were significantly higher in H. pylori-infected volunteers than in H. pylori-uninfected volunteers [51.6 +/- 3 vs. 42.9 +/- 2 ng/mL (P less than 0.05) for pepsinogen I; 16.0 +/- 1 vs. 7.5 +/- 0.8 ng/mL (P less than 0.001) for pepsinogen II]. The ratio of pepsinogen I to pepsinogen II was significantly lower in H. pylori-infected volunteers (3.5 +/- 0.2) than in uninfected volunteers (6.3 +/- 0.3; P less than 0.001). The apparent decrease in prevalence of H. pylori accompanying the Westernization of Japan may eventually be accompanied by a reduction in the frequency of atrophic gastritis, the precursor lesion of the epidemic form of gastric carcinoma, and ultimately result in a decrease in the incidence of gastric carcinoma in Japan.
Asaka
M
M
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Kimura
T
T
Kudo
M
M
Takeda
H
H
Mitani
S
S
Miyazaki
T
T
Miki
K
K
Graham
D Y
DY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001944:Breath Tests; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000175:diagnosis; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D010435:Pepsinogens / Q000097:blood*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D010435:Pepsinogens