[Helicobacter pylori and chronic gastritis: relationship between infection and inflammatory activity in a high risk population for gastric cancer].
BACKGROUND
Helicobacter pylori has been involved in gastric epithelial cell damage and gastric gland loss or atrophy.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate role of Helicobacter pylori infection in acute and chronic changes of chronic gastritis in a high gastric cancer-risk population.


METHODS
200 patients with chronic gastritis were selected from pathological files of Temuco Hospital. A complete histopathological protocol was fulfilled considering the presence of infection by Helicobacter pylori-like-organism (HLO), acute and chronic inflammatory infiltrate, epithelial cell damage and epithelial cell regeneration.


RESULTS
82% of patients showed infection by HLO. Moreover, this infection reached a frequency of 92.7% in gastric ulcer patients and 94.4% in duodenal ulcer patients. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between HLO infection and polymorphonuclear infiltrate, lymphocytic infiltrate, mucus depletion and epithelial regenerative activity. There was not a statistical correlation between HLO infection and atrophy. Finally, 90% of patients with multifocal atrophic gastritis and 100% of patients with diffuse antral gastritis had HLO infection.


CONCLUSIONS
HLO gastric infection frequently caused acute inflammatory changes in gastric mucosa with chronic gastritis. Sometimes these changes were severe, with marked polymorphonuclear migration throughout epithelium and severe epithelial cell damage. Recovery of these changes could be considered as a goal in Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy decision.
Araya
J C
JC
Departamento de Ciencias Preclínicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile. jaraya@entelchile.net
Villaseca
M A
MA
Roa
I
I
Roa
J C
JC
D002908:Chronic Disease; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology