Clinical trials as etiologic research tools in Helicobacter-associated gastritis.

The role of clinical trials as tools to elucidate the etiology of chronic gastritis is discussed. Three areas are briefly explored. The first one concerns the classification of chronic gastritis, a constellation of interconnected nosologic entities. The second refers to the histopathologic factors of chronic gastritis; preliminary results show that clearance of Helicobacter pylori decreases the inflammatory infiltrate and suggest that H. pylori alters cell ploidy. The third area refers to the multifactorial etiology of chronic gastritis and the role that clinical trials could play in its elucidation.