Focal inflammatory infiltrations in gastric biopsy specimens are suggestive of Crohn's disease. Crohn's Disease Study Group, Germany.
BACKGROUND
Crohn's disease is a systemic inflammatory disease that may involve all regions of the gut.


METHODS
Thirty-six patients with Crohn's disease and 36 age- and sex-matched control patients were prospectively evaluated by upper endoscopy. Biopsy specimens were taken from the oesophagus, duodenum, and 10 locations in the antrum and corpus.


RESULTS
Granulomas were found in four patients (11.13%) with Crohn's disease but in none of the control patients (P > 0.5). In 23 of 36 patients (63.9%) with Crohn's disease focal inflammatory infiltrations were found, as compared with 7 of 36 (19.4%) of the controls (P < 0.001). For focal inflammatory infiltrations, an odds ratio of 7.33 (2.55-21.38) was calculated, which increased to 20.04 (4.07-98.45) when only specimens from the angulus were considered. Helicobacter pylori infection was present in 13 of 36 controls (36.1%) and in 3 of 36 patients (8.3%) with Crohn's disease (P = 0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that Crohn's disease is typically associated with focal inflammatory infiltrations of the gastric mucosa.
Meining
A
A
Dept. of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum Grosshadern, University of Munich, Germany.
Bayerdörffer
E
E
Bastlein
E
E
Raudis
N
N
Thiede
C
C
Cyrus
B
B
Krämer
W
W
Klann
H
H
Labenz
J
J
Stolte
M
M
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004386:Duodenum / Q000473:pathology*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies