Immediate hypersensitivity gastropathy and duodenogastric reflux.

The purpose of the present study was to define a correlation between immediate hypersensitivity gastropathy and duodenogastric reflux. The gastric mucosa can often be involved in immediate hypersensitivity reactions, mainly in atopic subjects suffering from other allergic diseases. The typical endoscopic findings concern alterations of the gastric mucosa, like pomphi and variolae, and alterations of the gastric motility, like spasms and pyloric disturbances, all of them occurring in the antrum in most cases. Histology and immunofluorescence show peculiar patterns. Bile reflux is present in over 50% of these patients. The possible relationship between duodeno-gastric reflux and the gastric hypersensitivity reactions is briefly discussed in the light of what is known about the action of bile on the gastric barrier.