title: Relationship between Helicobacter pylori and atrophic gastritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori and atrophic gastritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The extent of atrophic gastritis was assessed endoscopically in 97 non-ulcer patients, and their H. pylori status was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of H. pylori infection was greatest in the early stages of atrophic gastritis. Small numbers of H. pylori-negative patients were identified at different stages during the extension of atrophic gastritis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  H. pylori infection precedes the extension of atrophic gastritis, and a minority of patients with atrophic gastritis may never have been infected with H. pylori.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kihira
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kasano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takimoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005773:Gastroscopy; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010435:Pepsinogens / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D010435:Pepsinogens