title: Agreement between endoscopic and histological gastric atrophy scores.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was conducted to investigate the strength of agreement between the endoscopic atrophic border (EAB) and the histological score for atrophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of 298 dyspeptic Japanese patients underwent upper endoscopy. The grade of gastric atrophy was estimated according to the EAB. Antral and corpus biopsy specimens were taken and were evaluated semiquantitatively according to the updated Sydney classification system, including the score for atrophy. The StatExact software package was used to calculate the weighted kappa statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The strength of agreement between the endoscopic atrophy score (EAB) and the histological atrophy score was good, with a weighted kappa value of 0.51 (95% confidence interval, 0.44-0.59).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The strength of agreement between the endoscopic and histological atrophy scores is not worse than the interobserver histological agreement between two pathologists. It is worthwhile to carry out further research on the use of the EAB to identify and score gastric atrophy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Postbus 22660, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: Shu-Dong
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Guido N J
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Tytgat
authors.forename: Fiebo J W Ten
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Kate
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000473:pathology*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology*