title: Does gastric atrophy exist in children?
abstract: Several clinical reports confirmed that gastric atrophy is a pathology not only limited to adult patients. In pediatrics, it is most often described in association with a H pylori infection but this bacteria does not seem to be the only etiological factor of this preneoplastic state in children. The frequency of gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia in children are unknown because they are not systematically sought during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The lack of specific histological classification of childrenos gastropathies makes their diagnosis difficult for pathologists. Based on our knowledge to date, we think that it is necessary to describe, in detail, the natural course of this lesion during childhood. A close and prolonged clinical and endoscopic follow-up is important for children with gastric atrophy.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition Unit, Clinic of Pediatrics, Hopital J de Flandre, CHRU de Lille et Faculte de Medecine, Universite de Lille 2, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dimitrov
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gottrand
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D013270:Stomach / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology