Intestinal metaplasia of the gastric mucosa: a study of its incidence in various disease states.

The incidence of intestinal metaplasia (IM) was studied in 159 specimens from gastric mucosa. Rare in histologically normal specimens (4%), the IM showed the highest incidence in patients with gastric carcinoma (75%). Intermediate values were observed in chronic atrophic gastritis (25%) and peptic ulcer (21%). Histochemical data shows that type complete-IM was most common in benign conditions; type incomplete-IM and particularly subtype secreting sulphomucins revealed a higher frequence in the mucosa bordering carcinomas.