Long-term aspects of nodular gastritis in children

BACKGROUND: Close association of nodular gastritis and Helicobacter pylori infection has been initially proved by various studies. There have been some studies reporting microscopic and histologic recovery in a short time after eradication therapy. But there is not enough data about the long-term course of this condition. The aim of this study is to document current clinical conditions, presence of H. pylori and results of endoscopic and histologic examination, after a long-term period, in children with endoscopically diagnosed antral nodularity. METHODS: A total of 35 patients diagnosed as nodular antral gastritis by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy during a 2 year period, were invited for re-evaluation and re-endoscopy after 3 years. Histopathologically, H. pylori detected ones had been treated with standard triple eradication therapy. In total, 27 patients were accepted for enrollment in the study. Repeated endoscopy could be performed in all 27 patients. RESULTS: The persistence of antral nodularity was detected in 18 of 27 patients. Decrease in symptoms, absence of symptoms and presence of H. pylori infection were detected in 6, 8 and 16 (89%) of them, respectively. There was no statistical significance between the first and last endoscopic biopsies when activity, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia and presence of follicles were regarded. Malt lymphoma could not be detected in any of the patients. CONCLUSION: There is a strong association between nodular gastritis and H. pylori. Presence of antral nodularity in the long-term period may be related to H. pylori re-infection. New therapeutic approaches are required for treatment and management of the patients diagnosed as nodular gastritis and living in areas endemic for H. pylori infection.     

Nodular gastritis and Helicobacter pylori

Numerous reports have established the association of Helicobacter pylori and peptic ulcer disease in adults. Recently, this association has also been demonstrated in children. We investigated 14 children and adolescents with recurrent abdominal pain. In six patients, endoscopy revealed gastritis and Helicobacter pylori was identified. Giemsa stain was more sensitive than culture or urease testing in identifying the bacteria. In four of the six, a nodular appearance of the antral mucosa was observed. The histological examination suggests lymphoid hyperplasia as the cause of the nodularity. All of the patients became symptomless after combined treatment with amoxicillin and bismuth subsalicylate. We conclude that nodular gastritis is a peculiar type of gastritis in children. It is frequently found in association with Helicobacter pylori infection.     

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori gastritis improves dyspeptic symptoms in children

BACKGROUND: In adults, the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection is only recommended for patients with active gastric or duodenal ulcers. It is not known whether similar guidelines can be applied to children because the prevalence of peptic ulcer disease in childhood is estimated to be much lower than in adults. The purpose of this study was to determine whether treatment of H. pylori gastritis would improve symptoms of dyspepsia in children. METHODS: Sixteen patients (5 boys, 11 girls) aged 14 +/- 1.2 years who had symptoms of dyspepsia were evaluated using upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with biopsies to establish the diagnosis of H. pylori gastritis. They were treated for 2 weeks with clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and a proton pump inhibitor. Dyspepsia symptoms were evaluated by a questionnaire before and after treatment of the infection. The effect of H. pylori treatment on the total symptom score was analyzed with use of the Student t test. Values are presented as mean +/- SEM. RESULTS: All patients had antral nodularity and chronic active gastritis with spiral-shaped organisms but no evidence of peptic ulcer disease. Mean total symptom score decreased significantly at 2 to 4 weeks after treatment (12.6 +/- 0.9 vs. 2.1 +/- 0.5 P < 0.001), and it remained low (2.9 +/- 0.7) at follow-up 9.7 +/- 1.4 months (range, 2-24 months later). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the treatment of H. pylori gastritis can improve dyspeptic symptoms in children.     

Management and response to treatment of Helicobacter pylori gastritis.

Gastritis associated with Helicobacter pylori was present in gastric biopsies from 24/95 (25%) children and adolescents undergoing endoscopy for recurrent abdominal pain and upper gastrointestinal symptoms. H pylori associated gastritis occurred mainly in older children (8-16 years) and was significantly associated with low socioeconomic class and a family history of peptic ulcer disease. Antral nodularity was a common endoscopic finding in H pylori positive children. Eighteen children, all over 5 years of age, were treated with tripotassium dicitratobismuthate (De-Nol) for two months and ampicillin for two weeks. In 12 children follow up gastric biopsies were obtained six weeks after completion of treatment. In 9/12 (75%) children H pylori was eradicated, and gastritis improved.     

Helicobacter pylori infection and chronic gastritis: clinical, serological, and histologic correlations in children treated with amoxicillin and colloidal bismuth subcitrate

Twenty-three children with Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori-associated chronic gastritis are reported. Family history of peptic disease, previous digestive procedures, and nonspecific epigastric pain were the most frequently encountered clinical features. Antral nodularity at endoscopy and histologic evidence of follicular gastritis were characteristic morphological aspects. Rapid urease tests suggested the diagnosis in 90% of patients. Significant increases of serum IgG and IgA against Helicobacter pylori allowed the identification of infected children with 95% cumulative sensitivity. Treatment with amoxicillin and bismuth subcitrate eradicated the infection and improved gastritis in 13 of 19 children. These findings provide further evidence for the etiologic role of Helicobacter pylori in chronic antral gastritis in children.     

Immunohistochemical evaluation of p53 expression and proliferative activity in children with Helicobacter pylori associated gastritis

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of p53 expression and proliferative activity of glandular epithelium and intestinal metaplasia in Helicobacter pylori associated gastritis of pediatric patients. METHODS: The study included endoscopic gastric biopsies of 54 children with dyspeptic complaints. Immunohistochemistry was performed for evaluation of p53 expression and Ki-67 labeling index, an indicator of proliferative activity. Grading of H. pylori density, intestinal metaplasia and inflammatory cell infiltration were performed in histologic tissue sections stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Giemsa and Alcian-blue. RESULTS: Of 54 children, 35 (64%) were infected by H. pylori. Positive immunostaining for p53 was observed in 11 of 54 cases (20.4%). H. pylori infection was found in 10 (91%) of the p53-positive patients. There was a positive correlation between H. pylori density and Ki-67 labeling index in H. pylori infected children. H. pylori density, Ki-67 labeling index and inflammatory cell infiltration in the p53-positive group were significantly higher than in the p53-negative group. Although intestinal metaplasia was more common in H. pylori infected children (n = 11; 31.4%), there was no difference in the rate of intestinal metaplasia between the p53-positive and p53-negative groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that p53 mutations and higher proliferative activity of glandular epithelium may be related to H. pylori associated gastritis in children. Because p53 mutation does not appear to be associated with intestinal metaplasia, a precursor for gastric cancer in adults, we think that H.pylori associated p53 alterations do not initiate and promote gastric cancer that may occur in adulthood.     

慢性结节状胃炎与幽门螺杆菌的关系

目的观察儿童慢性结节状胃炎幽门螺杆菌(Hp)感染状况及病理组织学改变。方法对经胃镜检查有结节状改变的慢性胃炎患儿41例,男17例,女24例,进行快速尿素酶试验和病理组织学检查,并进行血清Hp抗体检测。所有患儿用奥美拉唑、阿莫西林、克拉霉素三联除菌治疗,3个月后行胃镜随访。结果结节状胃炎41例患儿中Hp感染39例,感染率95%;胃黏膜活检病理显示所有病例均有慢性炎性细胞浸润,且黏膜固有层内淋巴细胞增多,淋巴滤泡形成。所有患儿经成功除菌治疗3个月后36例胃镜随访胃窦部结节状隆起消失,病理证实淋巴滤泡消失,炎性细胞明显减少。结论儿童慢性结节状胃炎是一种特殊类型的胃炎,为儿童Hp感染后的典型表现,Hp根除治疗是儿童结节性胃炎有效的治疗方法。     

Testing for serum IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin-associated protein detects children with higher grades of gastric inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Little information is available about the relationships between Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin-associated protein (CagA) and clinicopathologic features in children. The purpose of this study was to test whether determining serum IgG antibodies to CagA is a useful tool for detecting more severe disease. METHODS: One hundred twenty-seven consecutive children (age range, 0.75-17.8 years; median, 9.4 years) referred for gastroscopy were included in the study. Antral and corpus biopsies were taken for gastric histology and H. pylori detection. Major symptoms and endoscopic findings were recorded. A serum sample was drawn from each child and assayed for IgG antibodies CagA by a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Sixty-three (50%) children had no evidence of H. pylori infection, 28 (22%) were H. pylori positive/CagA positive, and 36 (28%) were H. pylori positive/CagA negative. There were no differences in clinical diagnosis and occurrence of any predominant symptom according to H. pylori and CagA status. Findings of antral nodularity were more frequent (p = 0.003) in H. pylori-positive/CagA-positive children than in H. pylori-positive/CagA-negative children. The gastritis score was significantly higher in H. pylori-positive/CagA-positive children than in H. pylori-positive/CagA-negative children (5.7 +/- 1.9 vs. 3.8 +/- 1.6, respectively; p = 0.0003), either in the antral (p = 0.0002) or in the corpus (p = 0.001) mucosa. Inflammation (p = 0.0001) and activity (p = 0.0001) scores were both higher in H. pylori-positive/CagA-positive children than in H. pylori-positive/CagA-negative children, but the H. pylori density score was not significantly different (p = NS). In no case was normal gastric mucosa found in H. pylori-positive/ CagA-positive children. Lymphocytic gastritis (p = 0.0008) and lymphoid follicles (p = 0.000003) were a more frequent finding in H. pylori-positive children than in H. pylori negative children, irrespective of CagA status. CONCLUSION: Testing for serum IgG to CagA detects higher grades of gastric inflammation among children with H. pylori infection. It may be useful in targeting H. pylori-positive/ CagA-positive children for antimicrobial therapy while reducing the need for endoscopy and gastric biopsy.     

幽门螺杆菌感染与儿童胃炎关系探讨

为进一步研究幽门螺杆菌（Helicobacter pylori,H.pylori)感染与儿童胃炎的关系，对我科1998年至2000年间500例3岁－15岁儿童胃镜活检组织进行组织学和H.pylori观察，按Sydney胃炎标准对病变分级，分析和探讨H.pylori感染与儿童胃炎发展变化的关系。结果表明：40.4%的儿童胃炎与H.pylori感染有关；而且炎症的程度、淋巴滤泡的形成、嗜酸细胞增多及幽门腺萎缩明显高于无H.pylori感染的儿童胃炎。提示上海地区儿童胃炎有很高的H.pylori感染率，H.pylori感染与儿童胃炎关系密切，儿童H.pylori胃炎的胃粘膜病理变化比非H.pylori感染者严重。     

CagA seropositivity and the severity of Helicobacter pylori infection in dyspeptic children

AIM: To assess the incidence of cagA (cytotoxin-associated protein) and to evaluate its correlation with endoscopic-histologic findings and with eradication rate in a series of children affected by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) gastritis. METHODS: Fifty consecutive H. pylori gastritis children (27M; median age 10 y and 11 mo) were tested for IgG cagA protein (Western Blot technique). Pretreatment H. pylori infection was assessed on the grounds of endoscopic antral biopsy specimens by means of rapid urease test and histologic examination (Giemsa staining). All the children were treated with omeprazole (1 mg/kg/d), clarithromycin (15 mg/kg/d) and amoxycillin (50 mg/kg/d) for 2 wk. According to universally accepted clinical practice, outcome of treatment was assessed by 13C urea breath test at least 6 wk after the end of therapy. RESULTS: Thirty-five children (70%) were seropositive to cagA+ protein (median age 11 y and 1 mo). Endoscopic findings of cagA+ patients were similar to those of cagA- patients. In cagA seropositive patients the severity of histologic gastritis was higher (p < 0.05) and the granulocytic infiltration more marked (p < 0.01) than in seronegative ones. In cagA+ children, H. pylori eradication rate was significantly lower (p < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: cagA testing may be of useful clinical interest because its positivity can imply a more severe gastritis and a lower susceptibility to eradication treatment.     

Campylobacter pylori gastritis: long term results of treatment with amoxycillin.

To evaluate the efficacy of amoxycillin in eradicating Campylobacter pylori, endoscopic biopsy specimens were taken from the antral mucosa of 40 children with gastritis before, immediately after, and (in 30 patients) three months after treatment. Immediately after treatment 34 patients (85%) no longer had the organism in the mucosa, and the gastritis had healed in 23 (58%). Three months later the infection had recurred in 22 of 30 patients (73%), and the gastritis had relapsed in all of them. Significantly more children in whom C pylori recurred had family histories of peptic ulcer disease. The results suggest that amoxycillin alone is ineffective in the long term treatment of C pylori gastritis.     

Iron-deficiency anemia associated with Helicobacter pylori gastritis

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested an association of Helicobacter pylori and iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). This is a report of six cases of IDA associated with H. pylori gastritis. METHODS: Six patients with IDA were studied (5 boys and 1 girl; mean age 13.6 years; range 13-15 years). Five had a medical history of long-standing IDA and of oral iron supplementation at outpatient clinics. The anemia recurred after the iron therapy had been discontinued. The sixth patient was admitted to the hospital with severe IDA. An extensive work-up was ordered that included technetium-99m (99mTc) scans for Meckel's diverticulum, total colonoscopy, and gastrointestinal endoscopy. After biopsy-based H. pylori test results were confirmed to be positive, anti-H. pylori therapy consisting of lansoprazole, clarithromycin, and metronidazole was administered for 2 weeks with no iron supplementation. The hematologic profile and iron status were assessed periodically after the end of the eradication regimen. RESULTS: Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a marked antral nodularity but no evidence of bleeding lesions in all the patients. Given the histology and the fact that rapid urease test results were positive, chronic active gastritis with H. pylori was diagnosed in all these cases. H. pylori was successfully eradicated in all the patients. There was no evidence of IDA in any of the follow-up examinations between 27 and 50 months after anti-H. pylori therapy. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori infection may be involved in cases of IDA of unknown origin, and the eradication of H. pylori can be associated with the resolution of anemia.     

Correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and vitamin C levels in whole blood,plasma, and gastric juice,and the pH of gastric juice in Korean children

BACKGROUND: It is well known that chronic gastritis induced by Helicobacter pylori may be associated with hypochlorhydria and may also be accompanied by low levels of vitamin C in plasma and gastric juice in adults. This study investigates the relationship between H. pylori infection and vitamin C levels in the blood, plasma and gastric juice and the gastric juice pH of Korean children. METHODS: During a 5-year period, multiple gastric antral biopsies were taken from 452 children who underwent gastroduodenoscopy. The biopsy specimen was inoculated into phenol red buffered urea broth and incubated for 48 hours to detect color changes. The histopathologic findings were evaluated using the Sydney System. Concentrations of vitamin C in whole blood, plasma, and gastric juice aspirate were measured using the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-two patients (228 boys, 224 girls) aged 1 to 15 years were enrolled in this study. H. pylori was detected in 112 patients (24.8%) using histology, whereas it was found in 204 patients (45.1%) using the urease test. One hundred seven patients (23.7%) had active gastritis, and 421 patients (93.1%) had chronic gastritis. Vitamin C levels in whole blood, plasma, and gastric juice exhibited significant negative correlation with the age of patients, the histologic density of H. pylori, the degree of active and chronic gastritis, and the severity of H. pylori infection (based on urease positivity and histologic density of H. pylori). Gastric juice pH was correlated with the degree of chronic gastritis and was significantly higher in urease-positive patients. CONCLUSIONS: The data demonstrate that vitamin C levels in whole blood, plasma, and gastric juice and the gastric juice pH in Korean children are closely related to the severity of H. pylori infection and the histologic changes in the stomach. These data suggest that vitamin C may play a role in determining infection and progression, and vitamin C supplementation may be an important axis for the management of H. pylori infection in children.     

Helicobacter pylori in children and adolescents: increase of primary clarithromycin resistance, 1997-2000

BACKGROUND: The authors evaluate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori resistance in 117 children and demonstrate the changes over a 4-year period. METHODS: In 117 children and adolescents, H. pylori-positive gastritis was revealed by diagnostic upper endoscopy. Biopsies from the antrum and body of the stomach were tested by histology, urease test, and culture. H. pylori was isolated using standard culture techniques, and susceptibility to amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole was tested using the E-test (AB-Biodisk, Sweden). RESULTS: Endoscopy revealed gastric ulcers in 2 of 117 subjects, duodenal ulcers in 6 of 117, and erosive gastritis or duodenitis in 23 of 117. Almost all patients showed antral nodularity. Histology always showed chronic gastritis with different degrees of activity. During the 4-year study period, the authors noticed an increase of primary clarithromycin-resistant H. pylori strains, from 14.3% to 27.6% (mean, 20.3%). Metronidazole resistance varied between 5% and 25%. No resistance to amoxicillin was found. CONCLUSION: Eradication of H. pylori should take place only after testing of susceptibility. The general use of clarithromycin in children should be restricted to better-defined indications. Resistance to clarithromycin of H. pylori may also become a future problem for the treatment of adults.     

Differences in distribution and severity of Helicobacter pylori gastritis in children and adults with duodenal ulcer disease

The presence of Helicobacter pylori and the gastric mucosa histology were investigated in 15 children and 15 adults with duodenal ulcer. The microorganism was isolated from antral and oxyntic mucosa in 100% of patients, both adults and children. The results of Gram stain and preformed urease test were compared with those of culture and there was no difference in sensitivity among the tests. Antral chronic gastritis was observed in all patients. However, children presented oxyntic gastritis more frequently than adults. It was also observed that the endoscopic aspects were different in the two groups of patients. The results here observed strongly support the idea that, as well as in adults, H. pylori is the causative agent of the gastritis seen in children with duodenal ulceration. On the other hand, the histological findings of oxyntic mucosa of children with duodenal ulcer were different from those of adults.     

Intraepithelial lymphocytes in duodenum from Brazilian adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Influence of Helicobacter pylori

Background: An increased number of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) can be the only histological feature in early stages of celiac disease (CD). This is also presented in duodenum of patients with Helicobacter pylori -associated gastritis and in autoimmune diseases. Because CD is frequently associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus, we analyzed the density of IELs in the distal duodenum of non-celiac diabetic patients associated or not with H. pylori infection.
Methods: IEL density and the presence of H. pylori were determined in biopsies of the distal duodenum and gastric antrum and body obtained from Brazilian diabetic adolescents who were negative for anti-human tissue transglutaminase and anti-endomysial. The results were compared with the histological findings of gastric and duodenal biopsies obtained from non-diabetic older children and adolescents.
Results: H. pylori was detected in 33.3% of diabetic patients and in 56.7% of the control group. No association was observed between the presence of H. pylori and an increased lymphocyte density in the distal duodenum in either group. Diabetic patients presented a duodenal IEL density similar to that of the control group. Lymphocytic gastritis was not identified in any of the biopsies analyzed.
Conclusions: The density of IELs in the distal duodenum of diabetic adolescents did not differ from that observed in older children and adolescents without this autoimmune disease. H. pylori infection, which is frequent among adolescents from developing countries, did not modify lymphocyte density in the distal duodenum in the absence of lymphocytic gastritis.     

A prospective trial of lansoprazole triple therapy for pediatric Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND: Triple therapy with a proton-pump inhibitor and two antibiotics is widely used in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in adults. Experience with such therapy in the pediatric population is limited. This was a prospective, nonrandomized, open-label trial to evaluate safety and efficacy of a combination of lansoprazole, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin in symptomatic children with H. pylori infection. METHODS: Children with H. pylori gastritis diagnosed by endoscopy performed for persistent nausea, vomiting, recurrent abdominal pain, and diarrhea with consistent histology were treated with the regimen of 0.45 mg/kg per day lansoprazole divided into two doses (maximum dose, 15 mg twice daily), amoxicillin 40 mg/kg per day in two doses (maximum dose, 1.0 g twice daily), and 250 mg clarithromycin twice daily (<10 years old) or 500 mg twice daily (>10 years old) for 2 weeks. Pre- and posttreatment endoscopic biopsy specimens were graded for the severity of gastritis and H. pylori density by a blinded pathologist. A questionnaire for assessing the severity of symptoms at the time of initial and second endoscopy were completed by patient and/or parent. RESULTS: Thirty-two children (age range, 1-25 years; mean age, 11 years; 19 females, 13 males) were treated with this regimen during an 18-month period. H. pylori organisms with varying grades of gastritis were present in tissue specimens of all patients. Only 28 children had follow-up endoscopy, which showed eradication of H. pylori in 15 (54%) children. Histologic symptoms of gastritis improved after therapy in the whole group. Overall, symptoms of vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, anorexia, and halitosis significantly improved (P < 0.05). Minor adverse effects of therapy occurred in 25% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms, histologic, and endoscopic findings improved after triple therapy in children with H. pylori gastritis; however, eradication of bacteria was achieved in only 56% of children.     

Helicobacter pylori infection in children: clinical, endoscopic, and histologic correlations.

We have assessed 270 consecutive patients (age range 0.8-20 years) referred for endoscopic study because of abdominal pain during 32 months. Helicobacter pylori (HP) was detected by culture in 91 cases (33.7%). HP colonization increased significantly with age (p less than 0.01). Nine patients less than 5 years of age were colonized by HP. A previous history of peptic ulcer disease in first-degree relatives was significantly more frequent in the HP-positive group (p less than 0.001). The frequency of HP positiveness as related to diagnosis was: normal, 3.3%; nonactive chronic gastritis, 100%; active chronic gastritis, 97.2%; gastric ulcer, 75%; and duodenal ulcer, 90.9% (p less than 0.001). Endoscopic nodular antritis was a frequent (67%) and specific finding; this presence was associated with that of lymphoid follicles in the histopathological study. Signs of histological activity were observed in 55.9% of the HP-positive patients. The histological colonization by HP was assessed semiquantitatively, and a significantly greater HP colonization score was observed in patients with signs of histological activity (p less than 0.001). A significant correlation was found between HP colonization score and histological score (rs = 0.574), with a significant association between the degree of HP colonization and the histologic categories (p less than 0.001). The present study suggests a pathogenic role of HP in the development of gastroduodenal disease in children.     

Nature and extent of gastric lesions in symptomatic Chilean children with Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis

Chile has one of the highest rates of gastric cancer in the world and most children and adolescents in the country are colonized by Helicobacter pylori. This study assessed the nature and extent of the gastric lesions in 73 consecutive patients aged 5-17 y, referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Their H. pylori-associated gastric pathology was characterized and these data were compared with their sociodemographic status. Endoscopic assessment was normal in 43 patients while in 30 there was a variety of mucosal lesions. Sixty patients (83%) had histological chronic gastritis of the antrum and in 45 (63%) the lesions also involved the gastric corpus; 90% of patients with chronic gastritis were colonized by H. pylori. Although most of these patients had epithelial erosions and dedifferentiation of the pit epithelium, atrophy and metaplasia were not found. Patients' socioeconomic status was inversely correlated with their rate of colonization by H. pylori (p < 0.005), the frequency of gastric lesions on endoscopy (p < 0.01) and the frequency of involvement of antral and corpus mucosa by chronic gastritis (p < 0.002). This latter feature was positively correlated with age (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study shows a high frequency of extensive lesions of H. pylori-associated chronic gastritis in young Chilean patients. This histological picture is consistent with the hypothesis of a H. pylori-associated progressive gastric pathology which may represent a major factor in the high local rate of gastric cancer.     

Peptic disease: comparative study between children and adolescents

OBJECTIVES: To make a comparative analysis of clinical and endoscopic data in peptic disease in a group of children (CR) and adolescents (AD).MATERIAL AND METHODS: 30 children and 76 adolescents with peptic disease were studied between August 1992 and November 1994. In all cases the diagnosis was confirmed by endoscopic and histologic examination. Clinical data referring abdominal pain (localization, degree of intensity, chronicity and related symptons) were compared in both groups. Statistical analysis was done by the Fisher Test (significance value p< 0.05).RESULTS: Findings referring to predominance in the female sex (66% in group CR versus 70% in group AD), duration of pain between 2 and 6 months (40% CR versus 38% AD), intensive degree of pain (70% CR versus 83% AD) and presence of vomiting and nausea (42% CR versus 55% AD) were similar in both groups. Epigastric pain was predominant in AD (87%) versus CR (63%) with significant difference p=0.012. The endoscopic findings were normal in 30% of CR and 14% AD (p=0.052). Light to moderate gastritis was significantly more common in AD (72%) than CR (37%) (p=0.01). In the CR group, there was mainly antral nodular gastritis while in AD the diffuse form was more frequent. Bulbar duodenitis was present in 10% CR and 12% AD, but it was more erosive and serious in children. Peptic ulceration was found in 16% of CR (2 gastritis and 3 duodenal) and 7% AD (1 gastric and 4 duodenal) (p=0.067). H. pylori colonization was more frequent in AD (52%) than in CR (36%) (p=0.195).CONCLUSIONS: 1) epigastric pain is the main symptom in both groups; 2) endoscopic findings may be normal especially in the childreńs group; 3) antral nodular gastritis is the predominant type in children while in adolescents it is diffuse gastritis; 4) H. pylori colonization is present in 1/3 of children and 1/2 of adolescents with peptic disease; 5) in both groups ulcers are more frequent in the duodenum.