Fundic gland polyps developing during omeprazole therapy.
OBJECTIVE
Side effects of omeprazole therapy include reversible hypergastrinemia, entero chromaffin-like hyperplasia, and possibly acceleration of atrophic gastritis in the gastric corpus in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection. The objective of this report is to describe six cases of fundic gland polyps that developed while omeprazole was being used for Barrett's esophagus.


METHODS
Three women and three men developed fundic gland polyps after 1-5 yr of omeprazole therapy, 20 mg/day. In the index case, fundal polyps developed after 2 yr of continuous omeprazole therapy. Omeprazole was stopped, but because of poor clinical efficacy with H2-blockers, it was reinstated.


RESULTS
After 4 yr of therapy, multiple large fundal polyps were present. Histology of all lesions revealed characteristic fundal gland polyps with multiple cystic dilations. None of the patients had H. pylori infection. Serum gastrin was normal in four and slightly increased in two.


CONCLUSIONS
These cases support the possible causal relation between the use of omeprazole and the development of fundic gland polyps in patients without H. pylori gastritis.
el-Zimaity
H M
HM
Baylor College of Medicine, VAMC, Houston, Texas, USA.
Jackson
F W
FW
Graham
D Y
DY
D000328:Adult; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005748:Gastric Fundus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011127:Polyps / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D009853:Omeprazole