BACKGROUND/AIMS: Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection is frequently observed in the remnant stomach after gastric cancer surgery, and is considered to play one of the important roles in chronic mucosal inflammation and cancer development.

METHODOLOGY

Serum pepsinogen (PG) levels were measured in one hundred and eight patients after gastrectomy performed because of gastric cancer. The correlation between PG levels and the grade of mucosal inflammation in the remnant stomach was investigated together with the status of Hp infection.

RESULTS

No statistical difference in serum PG level was found according to the severity of reflux gastritis, or grade of mucosal atrophy. Significantly higher serum PG II level and lower PG I/II ratio were found in cases with histologically severe mucosal inflammation than in those without inflammation. In Hp positive cases, PG I level stayed constant while PG II level scored a significantly higher value than those of negative cases. As a result, PG I/II ratio became significantly lower in cases with Hp infection than in those without infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Hp infection and active mucosal inflammation, but not bile reflux or mucosal atrophy, significantly affect on the serum PG level in patients with remnant stomach after gastric cancer surgery. Serum PG level was suggested to indicate the grade of acute and chronic Hp-related inflammation in those patients.