Chronic erosive gastritis: clinical, diagnostic, and pathological features in nine patients.

We have recognized nine patients with gastric mucosal lesions which were characterized by an erosion with surrounding mucosal elevation. This lesions has previously been called chronic erosive or varioliform gastritis. Patients were investigated because of upper gastrointestinal symptoms (n = 7), weight loss (n = 2), and/or bleeding (n = 3). Radiologically the appearance was of typical target lesions. Pathological features included pseudopyloric metaplasia, pyloric gland hyperplasia, acute and chronic inflammation, edema, and fibrosis. Atypia was present in biopsies from four patients and in one was incorrectly interpreted as representing intramucosal carcinoma. The remaining patients were treated with antacids and/or cimetidine with resolution of symptoms and in five patients repeat endoscopy demonstrated resolution of the lesions. Chronic erosive gastritis may cause upper gastrointestinal symptoms indistinguishable from peptic ulceration. Greater numbers of patients will have to be treated in a controlled fashion to determine the natural history of the disease and the most efficacious treatment.