title: Gastritis - facts and doubts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many clinicians consider chronic gastritis to be equivalent toHelicobacter pyloriinfection. However, it is known that there are numerous other causes of the condition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Determination of the incidence of gastritis in patients with dyspepsia referred for diagnostic endoscopy of the upper part of the digestive tract, identification of the parts of the stomach most frequently affected by the inflammation, as well as the impact of an insufficient number of collected samples on the correct diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy due to dyspepsia was performed in 110 patients. In the course of gastroscopy two biopsy specimens were collected for histopathological examination and towardsH. pyloriinfection from the lesser and greater curvature in the antrum 3 cm from the pyloric sphincter, in the body - 4 cm proximally to the stomach angular incisure on the lesser curvature, and in the middle of the greater curvature, as well as in the subcardiac region on the side of the lesser and greater curvature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In patients with dyspepsiaH. pylori-negative chronic gastritis is more common than gastritis with accompanyingH. pyloriinfection. Collection of too small a number of biopsy specimens results in failure to detect inflammatory changes and/orH. pyloriinfection, which may be limited to one part of the stomach. Biopsy specimens of gastric mucosa should be collected in compliance with the assumptions of the Sydney System.Helicobacter pyloriinfection in people with dyspepsia is now being reported more rarely than in the past (36%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with dyspepsia chronicH. pylori-negative gastritis is more common than gastritis with an accompanyingH. pyloriinfection.Helicobacter pyloriinfection is not always equivalent to the presence of chronic gastritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muszyński
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Bartłomiej
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ziółkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kotarski
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niegowski
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Górnicka
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bogdańska
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ehrmann-Jóśko
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zemlak
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostics of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Chair of Dermatology and Venereology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Młynarczyk-Bonikowska
authors.affiliation: First Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siemińska
keywords: Helicobacter pylori; gastritis