Relationship between Helicobacter pylori status and serum pepsinogens as serologic markers in atrophic gastritis.
OBJECTIVE
Serum pepsinogen levels are considered as a non-endoscopic blood test in the diagnosis of atrophic gastritis. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether there is any difference between pepsinogen levels in Helicobacter pylori-positive and -negative patients with atrophic gastritis, and to analyze the relationship between histopathology and pepsinogen levels after treatment in H. pylori-positive patients with atrophic gastritis.


METHODS
The study enrolled a total of 30 cases with atrophic gastritis (18 H. pylori-positive and 12 H. pylori-negative). The H. pylori-positive cases received a one-week eradication treatment. Initially for all and after the treatment for H. pylori-positive cases, serum pepsinogen I and II levels, anti-H. pylori IgG titration and histopathologic analysis were carried out.


RESULTS
In the H. pylori-positive patients with atrophic gastritis, the levels of pepsinogen I and pepsinogen I/II ratio were lower while the levels of pepsinogen II were higher compared to the H. pylori-negative patients (p<0.05 for all). The post-treatment serum pepsinogen I levels and pepsinogen I/II ratios did not change in the H. pylori-positive group, while the levels of pepsinogen II, H. pylori antibody titration and gastric atrophy degree remarkably decreased (p<0.05 for all).


CONCLUSIONS
In atrophic gastritis, the levels of serum pepsinogen and pepsinogen I/II ratio show a difference in H. pylori-negative versus -positive cases. Additionally, the usage of pepsinogen II as a serum marker in predicting the eradication of H. pylori with atrophic gastritis could be more reliable than pepsinogen I or the I/II ratio.
Bölükbaş
Cengiz
C
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa, and Department of Gastroenterology, Haydarpaşa Numune Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. drcengizbolukbas@hotmail.com
Bölükbaş
Füsun F
FF
Ovünç
Oya
O
Kiliç
Güray
G
Dalay
Remzi
R
Güven
Hatice
H
Uras
Fikriye
F
Yardimci
Turay K
TK
Sökmen
Mehmet H
MH
Agan
Ahmet F
AF
Pişkinpaşa
Nezih
N
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020116:Pepsinogen A / Q000097:blood*; D020115:Pepsinogen C / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012698:Serologic Tests
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D020115:Pepsinogen C; D020116:Pepsinogen A