Treatment of Helicobacter pylori in patients with lymphocytic gastritis.
OBJECTIVE
Lymphocytic gastritis is a subtype of chronic gastritis characterized by a marked increase in the number of intraepithelial lymphocytes in the gastric mucosa. Its etiology is unknown, but a proportion of these patients have Helicobacter pylori infection. The aim was to assess the significance of H. pylori treatment in lymphocytic gastritis patients.


METHODS
The 10 patients with lymphocytic gastritis and either serologically or histologically diagnosed H. pylori infection were treated with a triple therapy and followed by serology and histology after 6-18 months.


RESULTS
The levels of IgG antibodies for H. pylori decreased below 50% of the pretreatment values in all patients. The maximum numbers of intraepithelial lymphocytes decreased significantly (P = 0.005) from the pretreatment values.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment of H. pylori infection cures lymphocytic gastritis associated with H. pylori infection. H. pylori appears to be one etiological cause of lymphocytic gastritis.
Niemelä
S
S
Department of Internal Medicine, Oulu University Hospital, 90220, Oulu, Finland. seppo.niemela@ppshp.fi
Karttunen
T J
TJ
Kerola
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged