Incidence of Lymphocytic Gastritis in Endoscopic Corporeal Varioliform Gastritis

Background/Aims: Lymphocytic gastritis is characterized by the accumulation of small lymphocytes in the surface and foveolar epithelium. It is a common finding in a subtype of gastritis characterized by the presence of nodules and erosions in the body, relative to which the antrum was spared-‘varioliform gastritis'. Lymphocytic gastritis usually follows a chronic course and presents severe clinical symptoms including hypoproteinemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and clinical manifestations of lymphocytic gastritis in patients who showed endoscopic apprearance of enlarged folds, erosions, and aphthoid nodules in the body. Materials and Methods: The clinical and histological findings of varioliform gastritis with presence of nodules and erosions in the body were analyzed. The ratio of 25 lymphocytes/100 epithelial cell was used as the criteria for the diagnosis of lymphocytic gastritis in the study. Results: Twenty nine cases were classified as varioliform gastritis (there were 20 men/9 women and average age was 48.9 years). Among the 29 varioliform gastritis, 9 corresponded to lymphocytic gastritis. H. pylori infection rate was 44% (4/9) in lymphocytic gastritis and 65% in non lymphocytic gastritis. There was no difference in H. pylori infection rate between the lymphocytic gastritis and non lymphocytic gastritis. Clinical laboratory findings of lymphocytic gastritis were normal. The patients with lymphocytic gastritis had absence of mild degree of symptoms. Among 4 patients with follow-up endoscopy, erosions in body were completely disappreared in 3 patients. Conclusions: Lymphocytic gastritis occurred in about 30% of patients with varioliform gastritis. Most patients with lymphocytic gastritis had no symptoms or only mild symptoms and had no significant abnormality in clinical or laboratory finding.