[Prevalence of intestinal metaplasia of the gastric cardia and its relation with Helicobacter pylori strains cagA and vacA].

BACKGROUND: Esophageal metaplasia progression is a consequence of chronic gastroesophageal reflux (CGR). Patients with this condition are frequently infected by Helicobacter pylori and show several symptoms including gastritis as well as ulcer formation. In addition, they present an increased risk for the development of gastric adenocarcinoma. Several pathogenic markers for Helicobacter pylori such as ureC, vacA and cagA genes have been described. Evidence indicates that direct injury to the epithelial mucosa is caused by cytotoxins and enzymes codified by these genes. We undertook this study to establish a relationship between the presence of pathogenic Helicobacter pylori strains and the presence of metaplasia progression in patients with CGR.

METHODS: We detected the presence of Helicobacter pylori cagA and vacA positive strains in patients with CGR. Using polymerase chain reaction, we analyzed 120 samples obtained from 60 patients with CGR and 60 control group patients, including samples from both anatomic areas: cardia and gastric antrum.

RESULTS: We detected 56% of Helicobacter pylori positive patients; 57.5% of these patients were positive for either cagA(+) and/or vacA(+) Helicobacter pylori strains. Cardiac intestinal metaplasia was observed in 35% of the patients. A marked tendency was observed to develop cardiac intestinal metaplasia in those patients diagnosed with high-pathogenicity strains infected in both anatomic areas.

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that infection with Helicobacter pylori can be considered a risk factor for developing gastric cardiac intestinal metaplasia.