title: Helicobacter pylori eradication improves gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia in long-term observation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Helicobacter pylori has been shown to cause atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia (IM), both of which are precancerous lesions. To clarify the mechanism by which H. pylori eradication prevents gastric cancer, we monitored atrophy and IM improvement in gastric mucosa over a long period after H. pylori eradication.
  
  
  METHODS
  We monitored 118 patients (72 males, 46 females; mean age 61.3 ± 5.1 years) for a mean of 8.6 years (range 5-13) after successful H. pylori eradication. Biopsy specimens were taken from the greater curvatures of the antrum (A2) and the corpus (B2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atrophy was significantly decreased in patients with successful H. pylori eradication, both at A2 (from 1.60 ± 0.09 to 1.02 ± 0.08; p < 0.001) and B2 (from 0.71 ± 0.10 to 0.02 ± 0.02; p < 0.001), and IM score was significantly decreased at B2 (from 0.17 ± 0.12 to 0.00 ± 0.00; p < 0.05), but not at A2 (from 0.60 ± 0.11 to 0.43 ± 0.09; p = NS). In patients without successful eradication, however, there were no differences in scores over time. Before eradication, IM score was significantly higher in males than in females, both at A2 (0.81 ± 0.12 vs. 0.25 ± 0.10; p < 0.05) and B2 (0.32 ± 0.08 vs. 0.07 ± 0.04; p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We were able to monitor the gastric mucosa for a mean of 8.6 years after H. pylori eradication, the longest period reported to date. Significant improvements in gastric atrophy and IM after H. pylori eradication may decrease the risk of gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Tadayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okimoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizukami
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Kunimitsu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujioka
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents