Autoimmune gastritis: relationships with anemia and Helicobacter pylori status.

BACKGROUND

Autoimmune gastritis (AIG) is a gastric pathologic condition affecting the mucosa of the fundus and the body and eventually leading to hypo-achlorhydria.

AIMS: We report our clinical and pathological experience with AIG.

METHODS

Data from patients with a diagnosis of AIG seen in the period January 2002-December 2012 were retrieved. Only patients with complete sets of biopsies were analyzed.

RESULTS

Data from 138 patients were available for analysis. Pernicious anemia was present in 25% of patients, iron deficiency anemia was found in 29.7% of patients, hypothyroidism in 23% of patients, type 1 diabetes in 7.9% of patients, and vitiligo in 2.8% of patients. Parietal cell antibodies were positive in 65% of patients, and no patient had serology positive for celiac disease. All gastric biopsies showed glandular atrophy associated with enterochromaffin-like (ECL)-cells hyperplasia, features limited to the mucosa of the fundus and body, and focal glandular intestinal metaplasia. Helicobacter pylori was negative in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

AIG was strongly associated with anemia; atrophy, intestinal metaplasia and ECL hyperplasia in the gastric fundus and body are hallmarks of this condition.