Endoscopic duodenitis, gastric metaplasia and Helicobacter pylori

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between gastric metaplasia and Helicobacter pylori in patients with endoscopic duodenitis. METHODS: The subjects were 57 patients with endoscopic duodentitis with or without H. pylori-associated gastritis. Biopsy specimens were obtained from the stomach and duodenal bulb to assess the histological findings and H. pylori infection. Gastric metaplasia was divided into three types: complete, intermediate and incomplete, according to the amount of mucus in the metaplastic cells. In 10 H. pylori-positive patients, endoscopic and histological findings of duodenitis were compared before and after eradication of the bacteria. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the extent of gastric metaplasia or the appearance and severity of endoscopic duodenitis between H. pylori-positive and -negative groups. The complete type of gastric metaplasia was frequently detected in the H. pylori-negative group, whereas the incomplete type was frequently observed in the H. pylori-positive group. After eradication of H. pylori, the incomplete type changed to the complete type with a decrease of histological inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: The complete type of gastric metaplasia occurred frequently without H. pylori infection, whereas the incomplete type was frequently associated with H. pylori infection.