title: Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection, endoscopic gastric findings and dyspeptic symptoms among a young Japanese population born in the 1970s.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection rapidly decreasing in Japan, endoscopic findings and dyspeptic symptoms need to be re-evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a health check-up program, endoscopy was performed on 530 young Japanese subjects (371 men and 159 women) born in the 1970s. Helicobacter pylori infection was evaluated using serology and a rapid urease test. Endoscopic gastritis was classified according to the Sydney classification system, in addition to nodular gastritis. Dyspeptic symptoms were also recorded before endoscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 530 subjects, 87 (16.4%) were H. pylori positive. Of the 443 H. pylori-negative subjects, 349 (78.8%) were considered to have endoscopically normal gastric mucosa. However, of the 87 H. pylori-positive subjects, only 19 (21.8%) tested normal (P < 0.001). The prevalence of several types of gastritis was significantly higher in H. pylori-positive subjects compared with H. pylori-negative subjects: atrophic gastritis (37.9% vs 1.1%, P < 0.001), flat erosive gastritis (29.9% vs 7.2%, P < 0.001), rugal hyperplastic gastritis (12.6% vs 0.0%, P < 0.001), and nodular gastritis (13.8% vs 0.0%, P < 0.001). Other types of gastritis were not related to H. pylori status. The prevalence of subjects with dyspeptic symptoms was significantly higher in H. pylori-positive subjects compared with H. pylori-negative ones (28.7% vs 6.5%, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is suggested that in consideration of its recent low prevalence and the slow increase in its infection, the prevalence of H. pylori-related gastritis will gradually decrease in Japan. Further studies will be required to ascertain if there is a need for H. pylori eradication in this young population.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan. tshima@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimatani
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hyogo
authors.forename: Michiya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokozaki
authors.forename: Toshinari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saeki
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tazuma
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Horikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005773:Gastroscopy; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D015995:Prevalence