Basal chromogranin A and gastrin concentrations in circulation correlate to endocrine cell proliferation in type-A gastritis.
BACKGROUND
It is not known whether plasma chromogranin analysis could be a complement to histology for detection and grading of gastric fundic mucosal endocrine cell proliferation in hypergastrinemic (type-A) atrophic gastritis.


METHODS
Gastric biopsy sections (body and antrum) from 43 patients with type-A gastritis (9 with gastric carcinoid) were examined for density and micronodules of argyrophil endocrine cells. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for chromogranin A and B, gastrin, and somatostatin.


RESULTS
All patients with carcinoid and 17 of the 34 without carcinoid had micronodules in the gastric fundic mucosa. The median plasma chromogranin A concentration was 5.7 (3.5-40.0) nmol/l in patients with carcinoid, 4.5 (3.0-9.5) nmol/l in patients with micronodules, and 3.7 (0.8-6.0) nmol/l in patients without micronodules. Overall, chromogranin A concentrations correlated to endocrine cell densities in the fundic mucosa (r = 0.64, P < 0.001) and to gastrin concentrations (r = 0.71, P < 0.001). Plasma somatostatin and chromogranin B concentrations did not differ significantly between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In type-A gastritis, analysis of plasma chromogranin A may be a useful complement to histology in estimating the endocrine cell mass. Moreover, subclinical type-A gastritis may be a source of error when chromogranin A analysis is used in the search for neuroendocrine neoplasia.
Borch
K
K
Dept. of Surgery, University Hospital of Linköping, Sweden.
Stridsberg
M
M
Burman
P
P
Rehfeld
J F
JF
D000368:Aged; D000752:Anemia, Pernicious / Q000150:complications; D001706:Biopsy; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000097:blood*; D004759:Enterochromaffin Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood*; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008297:Male; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*
C506150:CHGA protein, human; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D005755:Gastrins