[Chronic gastritis. A study of 151 cases diagnosed using gastric biopsy].

With the aim to detect a correlation between endoscopic aspects and histological features of chronic gastritis, the Authors have analysed retrospectively a series of 151 cases where endoscopic alterations were likely due to chronic gastritis and in all cases multiple biopsies were performed. A possible correlation between endoscopy, histology and occurrence of intestinal metaplasia has been carefully evaluated. Only in chronic atrophic gastritis a certain relationship between endoscopic features and histologic diagnosis was detectable: in the same cases a high incidence of intestinal metaplasia was found as well, independently from the severity of endoscopic and/or histologic aspects. The Authors discuss the controversial problems in terminology and endoscopic definition of chronic gastritis.