Relationships between the degree of Helicobacter pylori colonisation and the degree and activity of gastritis, surface epithelial degeneration and mucus secretion.

This study investigates the question as to whether, in Helicobacter pylori (H.p.) gastritis, any statistically significant relationships are to be found between the following histological parameters: degree of H.p. colonisation, the degree and activity of gastritis, degree of replacement of the foveolar epithelium by regenerating epithelium, and degree of mucus depletion. Forceps biopsy material obtained from 240 patients with NUD and H.p. gastritis (3 specimens from the antrum, 2 from the corpus) were investigated. The 5 histological parameters employed were graduated semiquantitatively as follows: 0 = normal findings, 1 = minimal, 2 = low-grade, 3 = medium-grade, 4 = high-grade. The evaluation showed that the degree and activity of gastritis, the degree of replacement of foveolar epithelium by regenerating epithelial cells, and the degree of mucus depletion are dependent upon the degree of H.p. colonisation (p < 0.0001). The gastritis parameters were more marked in the antrum than in the corpus. The intercorrelations were highly significant for all five parameters investigated, both in the antrum and corpus (p < 0.0001). On the basis of these results it is concluded that for the histological assessment of H.p. gastritis, in addition to H.p. colonisation, and the degree and activity of gastritis, but also the state of the foveolar epithelium and the mucus production of these epithelial cells should be considered.