title: Relation between Helicobacter pylori, inflammatory (neutrophil) activity, chronic gastritis, gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine the relation of Helicobacter pylori infection with chronic inflammation, atrophy, activity level and intestinal metaplasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 100 consecutive patients with dyspepsia. These patients were fasted for 12 hours and gastroscopic biopsy specimens were obtained from their gastric mucosae. The specimens were histologically evaluated for H. pylori, inflammatory activity, chronic inflammation, gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 50 (50%) females and 50 (50%) males. The average ages of women and men were 36.3 +/- 11.5 and 42.9 +/- 12.8 respectively. Helicobacter pylori was found in 79%. Neutrophil activity was observed in 83%. Inflammation was found in 95%, glandular atrophy in 38%, intestinal metaplasia in 28% of the cases. Incidental (early gastric) cancer was found in 3%, dysplasia in 2% and reactive gastropathy in 7% of the cases. A statistically significant relationship was found between Helicobacter pylori colonization intensity and the degrees ofneutrophil activity, chronic inflammation and intestinal metaplasia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that Helicobacter pylori infection results in neutrophil activation and chronic gastritis, and that it has a role in the development of intestinal metaplasia. The greater the intensity of Helicobacter pylori infection, the greater the degrees of neutrophil activation, chronic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria. comexet@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Tanko
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Manasseh
authors.forename: G O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Echejoh
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Mandong
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Malu
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Okeke
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ladep
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Agaba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000473:pathology; D009504:Neutrophils; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors