title: [Relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and histopathological features of nodular gastritis in children].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and histopathological features of nodular gastritis (NG) in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 213 children who had undergone gastroscopy due to upper gastrointestinal symptoms were enrolled and were divided into NG and non-NG groups according to endoscopic appearance. The histopathological features of gastric mucosa were evaluated using the updated Sydney System. The rates of Hp infection, moderate to severe inflammation and lymphoid follicles formation of gastric mucosa were compared between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-eight (17.8%) of the subjects were diagnosed with NG. The NG group had significantly increased rates of Hp infection (86.8% vs 14.3%; P<0.01), moderate to severe inflammation (81.6% vs 15.4%; P<0.01) and lymphoid follicles formation of gastric mucosa (52.6% vs 10.3%; P<0.01) compared with the non-NG group. NG had a high specificity (96.8%) and a positive predictive value (86.8%) for the diagnosis of Hp infection. NG was observed in 33 (56.9%) of 58 Hp-positive children and in 5 (3.2%) of 155 Hp-negative children (P<0.01). Hp-positive children had higher rates of moderate to severe inflammation (86.2% vs 5.2%, P<0.01) and lymphoid follicles formation of gastric mucosa (84.2% vs 14.9% P<0.01) compared with Hp-negative children. There were significant differences in Hp colonization, degree of inflammation and inflammation activity in gastric tissues between the NG and non-NG groups (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NG is a special sign of Hp infection in children, which mostly shows moderate to severe inflammation of gastric mucosa, and can be used as an endoscopic indicator of Hp infection. Hp eradication therapy should be considered in the treatment of NG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Beijing University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. topbj163@sina.com.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zai-Ling
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sui
authors.forename: Rong-Li
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Zhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Li-Ya
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000473:pathology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000473:pathology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male