The Sydney System: auto-immune gastritis.
The association of gastric auto-immunity with chronic gastritis has been recognized for more than 30 years. Despite this, little is known about the initiation of auto-immune gastric mucosal injury or the role of gastric auto-antibodies in this disease process. The current review describes recent progress in our understanding of these fundamental questions on the origin and progression of auto-immune gastritis. In addition, evidence is presented (epidemiologic, clinical, pathologic and experimental) that strongly supports the view that auto-immune gastritis is a distinctive category of chronic gastritis with significant long-term sequelae.
Strickland
R G
RG
Department of Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque 87131.
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases; D005756:Gastritis / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D051379:Mice