Normal gastric histology in Helicobacter pylori-infected children.
BACKGROUND
In adults, Helicobacter pylori infection is always associated with gastritis or ulcer. However, very active gastritis and ulcers are rarely seen in children. The aim of the present work was to study the relationships between H. pylori and gastric mucosa in children.


METHODS
Eighty infected children and adolescents including 48 (60%) neurologically impaired institutionalized patients, aged 2 months-22 years (mean 11.7 +/- 5.2 years) were studied retrospectively. All the patients underwent gastroscopy, and three antral and two fundic biopsy specimens were taken for histology and bacteriology.


RESULTS
A normal gastric mucosa was found in 22 of 80 patients (27.5%), whereas the others had gastritis (n = 58, 72.5%). There were no statistical differences between patients with normal histology and those presenting with gastritis for age, sex, ethnic background, symptoms, and the degree of bacterial colonization. The macroscopic aspect of gastritis was less frequently found in children with a normal histology compared with those with histological gastritis (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
These data show that H. pylori infection can be associated with a normal gastric histology in children.
Gottrand
F
F
Service de Pédiatrie, Hôpital Huriez, Lille, France.
Cullu
F
F
Turck
D
D
Vincent
P
P
Michaud
L
L
Husson
M O
MO
Martin-Delasalle
E
E
Farriaux
J P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005773:Gastroscopy; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies