Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection-associated histologic chronic gastritis in the Spanish population.

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection-associated chronic gastritis in an unselected Spanish population. Between November 1990 and May 1991, consecutive patients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy due to severe upper abdominal complaints were studied. Only patients with chronic gastritis were included. Four biopsy specimens were taken (two for histologic examination, one for a rapid urease test, and one for culture of H. pylori). A total of 3094 patients from 17 Spanish Autonomic Communities 1817 men (58.7%) and 1277 women (41.3%) were studied by endoscopy. The mean age of the patients overall was 51.4 years. Of these 3094 patients, 1642 had symptomatic chronic gastritis. The prevalence of H. pylori infection in chronic gastritis patients in Spain was 85% (pooled data of the three methods above), and there was at a close correlation between severity of gastritis and H. pylori infection.