Treatment of Helicobacter pylori in patients with lymphocytic gastritis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Lymphocytic gastritis is a subtype of chronic gastritis characterized by a marked increase in the number of intraepithelial lymphocytes in the gastric mucosa. Its etiology is unknown, but a proportion of these patients have Helicobacter pylori infection. The aim was to assess the significance of H. pylori treatment in lymphocytic gastritis patients.

METHODOLOGY: The 10 patients with lymphocytic gastritis and either serologically or histologically diagnosed H. pylori infection were treated with a triple therapy and followed by serology and histology after 6-18 months.

RESULTS

The levels of IgG antibodies for H. pylori decreased below 50% of the pretreatment values in all patients. The maximum numbers of intraepithelial lymphocytes decreased significantly (P = 0.005) from the pretreatment values.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of H. pylori infection cures lymphocytic gastritis associated with H. pylori infection. H. pylori appears to be one etiological cause of lymphocytic gastritis.