Prevalence of subtypes of intestinal metaplasia in gastric antral mucosa

A prospective gastroscopic-bioptic study of 533 patients was performed to assess the prevalence and distribution of intestinal metaplasia (IM) and its subtypes in the antral mucosa of patients with various upper intestinal disorders and to assess whether the presence of certain IM subtypes might be of help in selecting patients for careful endoscopic-bioptic surveillance in the screening for gastric carcinoma. IM was found in 135 patients (25.3%). Its prevalence increased with age (P<0.001) and was strongly associated with intestinal-type carcinoma as compared to diffuse-type carcinoma (P<0.001), gastritis (P<0.001), and gastric ulcer (P<0.05). Type I IM was predominant (98.5%), whereas types II and III IM, respectively, were found in 77.8% and 15.6% of the patients with IM. No difference in the prevalence of type I and II IM was found among the various gastric disease states. Type III IM was strongly associated with intestinal-type carcinoma as compared to either benign lesions (P<0.01) or diffuse-type carcinoma. These results suggest that type III IM may play a special role in the histogenesis of intestinal-type carcinoma and suggest that the finding of this IM subtype in gastric biopsies may possibly be of help in identifying patients at greater risk of developing carcinoma.     

Helicobacter pylori associated gastric intestinal metaplasia: Treatment and surveillance

Gastric cancer(GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer related death in the world, particularly in East Asia. According to the Correa's cancer cascade, noncardia GC is usually developed through a series of mucosal changes from non-atrophic gastritis to atrophic gastritis(AG), intestinal metaplasia(IM), dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. Atrophic gastritis and IM are therefore generally considered to be pre-neoplastic gastric lesions. Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection is an important initiating and promoting step of this gastric carcinogenesis cascade. Emerging long-term data showed that eradication of H. pylori reduced the risk of subsequent cancer development. It however remains confusing whether eradication of the bacterium in individuals with pre-neoplastic gastric lesions could regress these changes as well as in preventing cancer. Whilst H. pylori eradication could likely regress AG, the presence of IM may be a point of no return in this cascade. Hence, surveillance by endoscopy may be indicated in those with extensive IM or those with incomplete IM, particularly in populations with high GC risk. The optimal interval and the best tool of surveillance endoscopy remains to be determined in future studies.     

Long-term monitoring of gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia after Helicobacter pylori eradication

Improvements of atrophy and intestinal metaplasia which is seen after H. pylori eradication may be regarded as an important factor of gastric cancer prevention. Although many studies reported the alteration of gastric mucosa after H. pylori eradication, most of the results do not agree. Recently, two meta-analyses showed significant improvement of atrophy (one study showed improvement in both corpus and antrum, and the other showed improvement in corpus but not in antrum), whereas improvement of intestinal metaplasia was not shown in either corpus or antrum. However, one reason why conclusions are different is considered to be that the observation period after eradication was short, and another reason is considered to be that almost studies examined only two points in gastric mucosa for histological analysis. Further examination with a greater number of subjects and with longer follow up period should be required to clarify the mechanism of gastric injury and improvement of gastric mucosa, especially atrophy and intestinal metaplasia after H. pylori eradication.     

老年人胃黏膜肠上皮化生与幽门螺杆菌感染相关性分析

目的 了解老年慢性胃炎患者肠上皮化生与幽门螺杆菌感染之间的相关关系.方法 2008年1月至2009年12月在本院接受胃镜检查的60岁及以上的慢性胃炎患者499例,根据病理结果分为肠化生组186例和非肠化生组313例,分别观察每组胃黏膜的幽门螺杆菌(Hp)感染、中性粒细胞浸润、腺体萎缩、淋巴滤泡等病理表现.结果 肠化生组...     

Histological changes of gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia after Helicobacter pylori eradication]

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Long-term Helicobater pylori infection results in atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia, and increases the risk of gastric cancer. However, it is still controversial that eradication of H. pylori improves atrophy or metaplasia. Therefore, we investigated histological changes after the H. pylori eradication in patients with atrophy or metaplasia. METHODS: One hundred seven patients who received successful eradication of H. pylori infection in Hanyang University, Guri Hospital from March 2001 to April 2006, were enrolled. Antral biopsy was taken before the eradication to confirm the H. pylori infection and grade of atrophy or metaplasia by updated Sydney System. After a certain period of time, antral biopsy was repeatedly taken to confirm the eradication and investigate histological changes of atrophy or metaplasia. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 55.3+/-11.3, and average follow-up period was 28.7+/-13.9 months. Endoscopic diagnosis included gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, non-ulcer antral gastritis. Atrophy was observed in 41 of 91 and their average score was 0.73+/-0.92. After the eradication of H. pylori, atrophy was improved (0.38+/-0.70, p=0.025). However, metaplasia which was observed in 49 of 107, did not significantly improve during the follow-up period. Newly developed atrophy (7 of 38) or metaplasia (18 of 49) was observed in patients who without atrophy or metaplasia initially. Their average scores were slightly lower than those of cases with pre-existing atrophy or metaplasia without statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: After the eradication of H. pylori infection, atrophic gastritis may be improved, but change of intestinal metaplasia is milder and may take longer duration for improvement.     

根除幽门螺杆菌对胃黏膜肠化的影响

目的　幽门螺杆菌 (Hp)感染可导致慢性活动性胃炎进一步发展为慢性萎缩性胃炎、胃黏膜肠化、最终发展成肠型胃癌。通过 5年随访 ,探讨根除Hp是否对胃黏膜肠化逆转、发生及发展有影响。方法　将 1996年快速尿素酶试验及组织学方法检测Hp均为阳性的 398例病人随机分为治疗组和对照组。治疗组 2 0 1例 ,进行根除Hp治疗 ;对照组 197例 ,给予安慰剂 ;服药前及 5年后分别从胃窦部及胃体部取材检测胃炎、胃炎活动性及肠化。结果　 5年后治疗组中 15 1/2 0 1例Hp为阴性 ,对照组中 16 1/197例Hp为阳性 ;治疗组中Hp被根除的病人胃炎活动性的检出率明显减少 ,与对照组持续Hp感染者比较 ,差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 0 0 1) ;对照组中持续Hp感染者 5年后肠化检出率与自身 5年前、治疗组成功根除Hp者 5年前和 5年后比较均增高 ,差异有显著性 (P均 <0 .0 0 1) ,治疗组根除Hp的病人 5年前后比较差异无显著性 ;对照组中持续Hp感染者胃窦部 5年后肠化检出率与自身 5年前、治疗组根除Hp者 5年前和 5年后比较均增高 ,差异有显著性 (分别为P <0 .0 0 1,P <0 .0 0 1和P<0 .0 1) ,治疗组根除Hp感染的病人 5年前后比较差异无显著性 ;对照组持续Hp感染的病人与治疗组根除Hp感染的病人胃窦部肠化新增及新减情况比较无差异。 结论　 5年     

幽门螺杆菌长期感染与胃黏膜炎症和肠上皮化生的关系

目的探讨幽门螺杆菌(Hp)长期感染及根除与胃黏膜炎症和肠上皮化生(IM)的关系。方法随访71例5年前和78例10年前Hp感染者,分析对比其前后Hp感染情况、胃黏膜炎症和IM的变化。结果5年前Hp阳性71例中,现在52例(73.2％)Hp仍呈阳性,19例(26.8％)转阴;10年前Hp阳性的78例中,现在59例(75.6％)Hp仍呈阳性,19例(24.4％)转阴。Hp长期阳性者5年前和现在及10年前和现在慢性炎症严重程度积分分别为1.635±0.376与1.808±0.301(P>0.05)和1.661±0.398与2.232±0.335(P<0.01);IM的发生率分别为17.3％(9/52)与26.9％(14/52)(P>0.05)和11.9％(7/59)与39.0％(23/59)(P<0.01);IM严重程度积分分别为1.444±0.527与1.667±0.442(P>0.05)和1.571±0.534与2.286±0.488(P<0.05)。Hp转阴者5年前和现在及10年前和现在慢性炎症严重程度积分分别为1.684±0.369与1.369±0.426(P<0.05)和1.647±0.389与1.182±0.396(P<0.01);IM的发生率为31.6％(6/19)和52.6％(10/19);IN严重程度积分分别为1.333±0.516与1.167±0.775(P>0.05)和1.600±0.516与1.100±0.316(P<0.05)。结论Hp感染持续时间越长,胃黏膜炎症越严重,IM程度亦越严重且发生率高;根除Hp不仅能减轻胃黏膜的炎症程度和IM程度,而且能防止IM的发生。     

十二指肠球部多发隆起病变与幽门螺杆菌和胃上皮化生的关系

目的探讨内镜下十二指肠球部多发隆起病变与幽门螺杆菌（Hp）感染和胃上皮化生等组织学异常关系.方法连续调查86例经胃镜检查证实十二指肠球部多发隆起病变患者,并以40例球部基本正常患者作为对照.病变组Hp阳性患者接受三联根除治疗（奥美拉唑20mg、克拉霉素250mg、甲硝唑400mg,每天2次）,疗程7 d,停药后随访6个月后复查胃镜;病变组Hp阴性者接受奥美拉唑20 mg,每天1次治疗,疗程4～6个月,停药后2周复查胃镜.比较2次胃镜检查结果,包括胃镜下隆起病变程度及球部黏膜胃上皮化生等组织学异常,分析Hp感染与上述胃镜下表现及组织学异常关系.结果对照组患者组织学仅部分发现轻度慢性炎症,未发现球部Hp感染.病变组患者Hp检出率为58.1%,胃上皮化生检出率为57.0%.Hp阳性与Hp阴性患者胃镜下隆起病变程度差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）,但胃上皮化生检出率更高,程度更严重（P＜0.05）.76例患者复查胃镜,根除Hp或奥美拉唑治疗对Hp阳性或阴性患者球部多发隆起病变无明显作用,但根除Hp后6个月,53.6%（15/28）患者胃上皮化生消失,61.0%（25/41）患者绒毛萎缩恢复正常,所有患者淋巴滤泡完全消失（26/26）,杯状细胞减少完全恢复（25/25）,同时炎症和活动性显著减轻（P值均＜0.01）.奥美拉唑疗效不显著.结论十二指肠球部多发隆起病变患者半数以上有Hp感染.Hp感染与隆起病变伴随组织学炎症密切相关,而与其内镜下表现及严重程度无关.根除Hp可使炎症显著减轻,胃上皮化生范围缩小或消退.     

Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in early gastric cancer, intestinal metaplasia and Helicobacter pylori infection

Cyclooxygenase (COX) is the crucial enzyme for synthesis of prostaglandins and occurs in two isoforms COX-1 and COX-2. Whilst COX-1 is constantly expressed in the gastrointestinal tract in large quantities and probably maintains mucosal integrity through constant generation of prostaglandins, COX-2 is induced principally during inflammation. In early gastric cancer and in intestinal metaplasia the expression of COX-2 in patients infected by Helicobacter pylori is increased in intestinal type compared to diffuse type gastric cancer and in intestinal metaplasia. In tumours of mixed type, COX-2 is also increased in the intestinal component compared to the diffuse component. Whilst there has been success of COX-2 inhibition for chemoprevention in colon cancer, a similar role in gastric cancer needs to be carefully assessed in the light of reported adverse effects and whether the precancerous condition, intestinal metaplasia, can truly regress.     

胃粘膜肠化中幽门螺杆菌感染与PCNA,c-erbB-2的表达

目的研究肠化胃粘膜幽门螺杆菌（Ｈｐ）阳性率与ＰＣＮＡ,ｃｅｒｂＢ２表达率之间关系,以探讨Ｈｐ感染在胃肠化发生、发展中作用．方法经病理检查证实的慢性胃炎伴肠化１１６例,对照组非溃疡性消化不良．应用改良ＷａｒｔｈｉｎＳｔａｒｙ法检测Ｈｐ,免疫酶组化ＳＰ法检测ＰＣＮＡ,ｃｅｒｂＢ２的表达,比较Ｈｐ阳性组和阴性组间ＰＣＮＡ,ｃｅｒｂＢ２的阳性表达率．结果胃粘膜肠化者Ｈｐ感染率增高（５８６％ｖｓ１８８％,χ２＝１０７９,Ｐ＜００１）,肠化胃上皮内少见Ｈｐ粘附,Ｈｐ阳性组ＰＣＮＡ,ｃｅｒｂＢ２表达高于阴性组（４８／６８ｖｓ１２／４８,χ２＝９０５,Ｐ＜００５;３６／７４ｖｓ２／４２,χ２＝１３２８,Ｐ＜００１）．结论Ｈｐ感染促进胃粘膜肠化,并使肠化胃粘膜细胞增殖迅速而启动恶性变,故Ｈｐ感染可能促进胃癌的形成．     

Helicobacter pylori induces gastritis and intestinal metaplasia but no gastric adenocarcinoma in Mongolian gerbils

OBJECTIVE: The Mongolian gerbil is considered as the model of choice when studying adenocarcinoma related to Helicobacter pylori infection. The purpose of this study was to compare two different H. pylori strains and elucidate whether adenocarcinomas developed in gerbils. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Male gerbils were separated into three groups: one control and two groups infected with two different strains of H. pylori, TN2GF4 and SS1. At 3, 6, 12 or 18 months after inoculation 5 animals from each group were sacrificed. The stomach was used for culture, and for histology. RESULTS: Inflammation was seen after 3 months in all the infected animals. In the controls no pathology was found at any time. Intestinal metaplasia was found in both the infected groups. Glands buried in the submucusal layer, changes that might be misinterpreted as adenocarcinoma, were found in 10% of the SS1 and in 65% of the TN2GF4 animals. Adenocarcinoma was not found in any of the gerbils. CONCLUSIONS: All studies claiming to have found H. pylori-induced adenocarcinomas in gerbils describe atypical glands penetrating into the muscularis propria and interpret these as invasive growths due to cancer. An alternative interpretation is that the deranged glandular structures grow in and below the submucosa. It is suggested that atypical glands in the muscularis layer are not enough as a diagnostic criterion for gastric adenocarcinoma. It is concluded that adenocarcinoma has not yet been shown convincingly to develop in Mongolian gerbils infected with H. pylori. Nevertheless, it is a model well suited for studying gastritis, gastric ulcer and premalignant changes such as metaplasia.     

Short-term celecoxib to regress long-term persistent gastric intestinal metaplasia after Helicobacter pylori eradication

Background and Aim:  The intestinal metaplasia (IM) has overexpressions of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and β-catenin. This pilot study assessed whether celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, could regress IM that persisted long term after Helicobacter pylori eradication.
Methods:  Thirty-three patients with H. pylori eradication were enrolled in the present study due to the persistence of IM after a 3-year follow up. These patients received celecoxib 200 mg/day for 8 weeks, and were serially checked for levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine once per 2 weeks. After 8-week celecoxib treatment, IM regression was assessed by panendoscopy. The gastric specimens, taken before and after celecoxib, were immunochemically stained for COX-2 and β-catenin.
Results:  The intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses to the rates of IM regression by 8-week celecoxib treatment were 24.2% (8/33) and 28.6% (8/28), respectively. All enrolled patients had no renal impairment. Even in the patients without total IM regression, mean IM scores in the antrum decreased after 8-week celecoxib treatment ( P  = 0.007). The patients with complete regression of IM after 8-week celecoxib treatment had a significantly lower COX-2 expression, but not β-catenin expression, at enrollment than those patients without IM regression ( P  = 0.031).
Conclusion:  Short-term celecoxib treatment can be safe and promising to regress long-term persistent IM after H. pylori eradication.     

Subtypes of intestinal metaplasia and Helicobacter pylori.

To determine whether there is a relationship between the presence of H pylori and the various subtypes of intestinal metaplasia in the gastric antrum, 2274 antral gastroscopic biopsies from 533 patients were examined. H pylori was found in 289 patients. Intestinal metaplasia in general was found in 135 patients. Type I intestinal metaplasia was found in 133 patients (98.5%), type II in 106 patients (78.5%) and type III in 21 patients (15.6%). Ninety eight of these 135 patients (72.6%) were H pylori positive and 37 patients (27.4%) were H pylori negative. No statistically significant difference was found in the prevalence of type I and II intestinal metaplasia between the intestinal metaplasia positive and H pylori positive and intestinal metaplasia negative and H pylori negative patients. Type III intestinal metaplasia was found less often in the intestinal metaplasia positive and H pylori positive patients (11.2%) as compared with intestinal metaplasia positive and H pylori negative patients (27%) (p less than 0.05). In contrast with type I and II intestinal metaplasia type III intestinal metaplasia was found more often in moderate/severe intestinal metaplasia than in mild intestinal metaplasia (p less than 0.02). Within the group of patients with moderate/severe intestinal metaplasia, type III was found less often in the H pylori positive patients (p less than 0.05). We suggest that the gastric milieu for H pylori is less appropriate in type III intestinal metaplasia positive patients. As type III intestinal metaplasia might be regarded as a marker of possibly increased gastric cancer risk, the lower prevalence of H pylori in these type III intestinal metaplasia positive patients might be the result of severe changes in mucosal architecture.