Duodenal ulcer and chronic gastritis.

The histological aspect of fundic and antral mucosa of patients with endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer was investigated and compared with that observed in asymptomatic controls of similar age. Fundic gastritis was less frequent in ulcer patients than in controls. In contrast the chronic inflammatory lesions of the antral mucosa were more frequent, more severe and appeared at an earlier age in ulcer patients than in controls.