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Background/Aims: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) seroconversion may occur during screening for gastric cancer. Our study aimed to assess the number of seroconverted subjects with H. pylori and their results in follow-up tests.Methods: Data were consecutively collected on subjects who were H. pylori-seronegative and presented for gastric cancer screening. Subjects who were followed up using the same serology test and pepsinogen (PG) assays on the day of endoscopy were included in the study.Results: During the follow-up of 57.7±21.4 months, 61 (15.0%) of 407 seronegative subjects showed seroconversion. H. pylori infection was detected in six (9.8%) of 61 seroconverted subjects. A diffuse red fundal appearance, with a significant increase in the Kyoto classification scores for gastritis, was observed in the infected subjects (p

Purpose To determine the efficacy of a potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB)-based first-line eradication therapy with bismuth compared with that of proton pump inhibitor-based first-line therapy with bismuth. Materials and methods Eradication-naive H. pylori-infected patients were consecutively enrolled from January to November 2020. Before approval of the P-CAB-based eradication therapy, twice daily administration of a regimen containing lansoprazole 30 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, clarithromycin 500 mg, and bismuth potassium citrate 300 mg was prescribed for 7 days. After approval, lansoprazole was replaced with tegoprazan (50 mg). Clarithromycin resistance was examined in patients who underwent gastroscopic biopsy at our center. Efficacy was assessed via the 13C-urea breath test. Results Of the 381 eradication-naive patients, eradication was successful in 88.3% (151/171) treated with tegoprazan and 82.8% (140/169) treated with lansoprazole in per-protocol analysis (p=0.151). In intention-to-treat analysis, eradication rates were 78.8% (152/193) in the tegoprazan and 74.5% (140/188) in the lansoprazole group (p=0.323). Clarithromycin resistance was observed in 30 (20.1%) of the 148 patients (74 from each group), and only four of the 16 clarithromycin-resistant patients in the tegoprazan group achieved successful eradication. Clarithromycin resistance [odds ratio (OR)=42.1, 95% confidence intervals (CIs)=12.6-141.0] and poor patient compliance (OR=17.1, 95% CIs=1.6-189.1) were independent risk factors for eradication failure. Conclusion In eradication-naive patients, eradication success rates for 7-day first-line triple therapy regimen exceeded 82% with bismuth administration. In clarithromycin-resistant patients, neither tegoprazan 50 mg nor lansoprazole 30 mg achieved acceptable eradication rates when administered twice daily for 7 days.

The serum pepsinogen (PG) assay is used to screen subjects at high risk for gastric cancer. Currently, there are few studies on the PG levels for the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection. This study aimed to determine the PG assay findings for detecting ongoing infection.Asymptomatic subjects who underwent aAmong the 500 included subjects, 167 (33.4%) had current infection. The serum PG II levels of 12.95 ng/mL (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.930, sensitivity 86.5%, specificity 90.7%) and PG I/II ratios of 4.35 (AUC = 0.875, sensitivity 86.8%, specificity 79.6%) were related to infection. The PG I/II ratios were inversely correlated with age (r = -0.160, p = 0.039). The cutoff values of PG I/II ratios were lower in older subjects aged ≥ 50 years ( 4.05; AUC = 0.875, sensitivity 80.7%, specificity 88.2%) than in younger subjects aged 50 years ( 4.35; AUC = 0.873, sensitivity 77.4%, specificity 88.9%).Serum PG II levels 12.95 ng/mL and PG I/II ratios 4.35 suggest ongoing infection in asymptomatic subjects; therefore, H. pylori confirmation tests (i.e.

Background/Aims: Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and metaplastic gastritis (MG) are precancerous conditions of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-related gastric cancer. This study aimed to identify the characteristics of nodular gastritis (NG) showing CAG or MG after nodule regression. Methods: H. pylori-infected patients with NG were included after upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Patients were excluded if their latest endoscopy had been performed ≤36 months after the initial diagnosis of NG. Small-granular-type NG was defined as the condition with 1-2 mm regular subepithelial nodules. Large-nodular-type NG was defined as those with 3-4 mm, irregular subepithelial nodules. The endoscopic findings after nodule regression were recorded. Results: Among the 97 H. pylori-infected patients with NG, 61 showed nodule regression after a mean follow-up of 73.0±22.0 months.After nodule regression, 16 patients showed a salt-and-pepper appearance and/or transparent submucosal vessels, indicating CAG. Twenty-nine patients showed diffuse irregular elevations and/or whitish plaques, indicating MG. Sixteen patients with other endoscopic findings (14 normal, one erosive gastritis, and one chronic superficial gastritis) showed a higher proportion of H. pylori eradication (12/16, 75.0%) than those in the CAG group (5/16, 31.3%) and MG group (6/29, 20.7%; p=0.001). Patients with small-granular-type NG tended to progress toward CAG (14/27, 51.9%), whereas those with large-nodular-type NG tended to progress toward MG (25/34, 73.5%; p

Pathological changes in the epigenetic landscape of chromatin are hallmarks of cancer. The caudal-type homeobox gene CDX2 is not expressed in normal gastric epithelia but rather in adult intestinal epithelia, and it is overexpressed in intestinal metaplasia (IM). However, it remains unclear how CDX2 transcription is suppressed in normal gastric epithelial cells and overexpressed in IM. Here, we demonstrate that methylation of the CDX2 promoter increases with age in Helicobacter pylori-positive, noncancerous gastric tissue, whereas the promoter is demethylated in paired gastric tumors in which CDX2 is upregulated. Moreover, we also found that the CDX2 promoter is demethylated in IM as well as gastric tumor. Immunohistochemistry revealed that CDX2 is present in foci of parts of the gastric mucosae but highly expressed in IM as well as in gastric tumors, suggesting that the elevated level of CDX2 in IM and gastric tumors may be attributable to promoter demethylation. Our data suggest that CDX2 repression may be associated with promoter methylation in noncancerous H. pylori-positive mucosa but its upregulation might be attributable to increased promoter activity mediated by chromatin remodeling during gastric carcinogenesis.

Background/aims Conventional second-line, bismuth-containing quadruple therapy is administered four times a day. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of twice a day administration compared to the four times a day therapy. Methods Medical records of consecutive patients with positive 13 C-urea breath tests (UBTs) after first-line eradication were reviewed. From December 2018 to June 2019, 100 consecutive 13 C-UBT-positive patients received tetracycline 1 g, metronidazole 750 mg, bismuth subcitrate 300 mg, and pantoprazole 20 mg twice a day for one week. The same number of consecutive13 C-UBT-positive patients before December 2018 was included as controls. The control group received tetracycline 500 mg and bismuth subcitrate 300 mg four times a day, metronidazole 500 mg three times a day, and pantoprazole 20 mg twice a day for one week. Eradication was confirmed based on a 13 C-UBT performed in the 5th week after taking quadruple therapy. Results Ninety-eight patients from the twice a day group and 99 patients from the four times a day group were analyzed. The eradication rate did not differ between the twice a day group (92/98, 93.9%) and the four times a day group (92/99, 92.9%). Adverse drug effects were found in 36 patients from the twice a day group and 50 patients from the four times a day group (P = .051). Abdominal pain, discomfort, and distention were more common with four times a day intake (13.1%) than with twice a day intake (4.1%; P = .024). Conclusions We determined for the first time that twice a day intake of bismuth-containing quadruple therapy using 2 g/d of tetracycline, 1.5 g/d of metronidazole, and 600 mg/d of bismuth subcitrate for one week is effective and safe as the conventional four times a day therapy. Twice a day intake decreased abdominal pain, discomfort, and distention.

목적: 헬리코박터 파일로리 균에 대한 혈청전환의 위험성은 감염된 가족과 거주하거나 상부위장관 내시경 검사를 받으면 상승한다. 우리나라에서는 음주가 혈청전환의 위험요인으로 알려져 있으나, 외국에서는 이와 상반된 연관성을 보인다. 이에 본 연구에서는 한국인에서 혈청전환을 유발하는 위험 요인을 분석하고, 음주량이 혈청전환에 미치는 영향력을 조사하였다. 방법: 혈청 항헬리코박터 파일로리 항체 검사에서 음성을 보인 한국인 성인 중 매년 혈청항체에 대한 추적 검사를 하면서 혈청 펩시노겐 검사와 상부위장관 내시경 검사를 함께 받은 사람을 대상으로 하였다. 위 절제술이나 제균 치료를 받은 사람은 대상에서 제외하였다. 심한 음주자는 일주일에 15잔 이상을 마시는 남자와 8잔 이상을 마시는 여자로 정의하였다. 결과: 항체 음성자 267명 중 26명(9.7%)이 혈청전환을 보였으며, 평균 추적 기간은 39.0 ± 19.1개월이었다. 혈청전환율은 음주량(p = 0.001), 비스테로이드성항염증제 복용력(p =0.015), 높은 체질량지수(p = 0.033), 긴 추적 기간(p = 0.038), 많은 추적 검사 횟수(p = 0.004)와 비례해서 증가하였다. 이중에서 심한 음주자(OR 6.754, 95% CI 1.892-24.102, p = 0.003)와 보통 음주자(OR 4.360, 95% CI 1.130-16.826, p = 0.033)만이 혈청전환의 독립적인 위험 인자로 밝혀졌다. 추적 검사시의 혈청 펩시노겐 II 수치는 혈청전환자(12.0 ± 7.8 ng/mL)가 대조군(9.1 ± 5.3 ng/mL)에 비해서 높았다(p = 0.038). 결론: 한국인에서 음주는 혈청전환과 연관된 주요 위험인자이다. 이는 음주를 줄이고 비위생적 음주 습관을 개선하는 것이 한국인 성인들 사이에서 헬리코박터 파일로리균의 전염을 예방하는데 도움이 될 수 있다는 것을 시사한다.

Background/aims Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a common condition, but is difficult to detect in asymptomatic individuals. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic PUD during screening endoscopy and to identify risk factors for the presence of symptoms in patients with PUD. Methods We investigated subjects who underwent a health inspection, including endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract and a serum anti-Helicobacter pylori IgG assay, and who completed a self-report questionnaire about their symptoms. Results Of the 12,852 subjects included in the study, 124 (1.0%) had symptomatic PUD and 309 (2.4%) had asymptomatic PUD. Old age, current smoking, and H. pylori infection were independent risk factors for symptomatic and asymptomatic PUD. Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was an independent risk factor only for symptomatic PUD (p=0.040). Compared to subjects with asymptomatic PUD, subjects with symptomatic PUD were more likely to have active-stage ulcers (p=0.002) and to drink more heavily (p=0.005). Conclusions Use of NSAIDs is a risk factor for symptomatic PUD, but not for asymptomatic PUD. Excessive alcohol consumption and active-stage ulcers in patients with PUD are related to the presence of gastroduodenal symptoms.

Background/Aims: In the ABC classification system, group A consists of seronegative subjects without gastric corpus atrophy. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of pseudo group A subjects. Methods: Group A subjects were identified among consecutive Korean adults who underwent a serum anti-Helicobacter pylori immunoglobulin G (IgG) test and pepsinogen (PG) assay on the day of endoscopy. Past infection was defined as the presence of either eradication history or endoscopic findings suggesting past infection (i.e., gastric xanthoma, metaplastic gastritis, or advanced atrophy >closed-type 1). Results: Among 2,620 group A subjects, 448 (17.1%) had eradication history, and 133 (5.1%) showed endoscopic findings suggesting past infection. Older age (odds ratio [OR], 1.148; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.067 to 1.236) and earlier year of birth (OR, 1.086; 95% CI, 1.009 to 1.168) were independent risk factors for classification into pseudo group A, with cutoff points at 50.5 years and birth year of 1959.5, respectively. Positive H. pylori test findings were found in 22 subjects (3.1%) among the 715 subjects who underwent the urea breath test or Giemsa staining on the same day. Current infection was positively correlated with PG I and PG II levels (p

Background/aims The serum anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) immunoglobulin G (IgG) and serum pepsinogen (PG) assays are widely used to screen for gastric cancer. An equivocal serology test finding indicates IgG titer between the positive and negative test findings. This study aims to evaluate the long-term follow-up result after an equivocal test finding on the serum anti-H. pylori IgG assay. Methods Koreans aged 18 years or older with an equivocal serum anti-H. pylori IgG assay finding were included. Subjects were excluded if they did not undergo H. pylori serology test, serum PG assay, and upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy on the same day at our center. The annual test findings were followed-up using the same methods. Results Of the 7,178 subjects who underwent the serum assays and UGI endoscopy on the same day, 274 (3.8%) subjects showed an equivocal H. pylori serology test finding. Of the 98 subjects who were followed-up, 58 (59.2%) showed seropositive finding at the mean follow-up period of 30.6±12.4 months. Subjects with seroconversion showed a higher initial serum PG I (p=0.023) and PG II (p=0.036) levels than those without seroconversion. Conclusions An equivocal H. pylori serology test finding was not rare (3.8%) in Korean adults, and 60% of equivocal subjects showed seroconversion within 3 years. Higher seroconversion rates in subjects with high PG I and PG II levels suggest that intact gastric secreting ability plays a role in the survival of H. pylori. Therefore, equivocal subjects with increased serum PG levels should be considered as potential seropositive subjects.

Background/Aims Rebleeding is associated with mortality in patients with peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB), and risk stratification is important for the management of these patients. The purpose of our study was to examine the risk factors associated with rebleeding in patients with PUB. Methods The Korean Peptic Ulcer Bleeding registry is a large prospectively collected database of patients with PUB who were hospitalized between 2014 and 2015 at 28 medical centers in Korea. We examined the basic characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients in this registry. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with rebleeding. Results In total, 904 patients with PUB were registered, and 897 patients were analyzed. Rebleeding occurred in 7.1% of the patients (64), and the 30-day mortality was 1.0% (nine patients). According to the multivariate analysis, the risk factors for rebleeding were the presence of co-morbidities, use of multiple drugs, albumin levels, and hematemesis/hematochezia as initial presentations. Conclusions The presence of co-morbidities, use of multiple drugs, albumin levels, and initial presentations with hematemesis/hematochezia can be indicators of rebleeding in patients with PUB. The wide use of proton pump inhibitors and prompt endoscopic interventions may explain the low incidence of rebleeding and low mortality rates in Korea.

Objective To determine whether the combination test of serum pepsinogen (PG) levels and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antibody was effective for predicting the incidence and histology of gastric neoplasms. Methods This study included asymptomatic Korean adults who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy with blood tests for PG levels and H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibody test on the same day. Participants with extragastric malignancy, history of H. pylori eradication or gastric neoplasms, or recent antacid medication were excluded. Gastric atrophy was defined as a serum PG I/II ratio ≤3.0 and PG I ≤70 ng/mL. The participants were classified into four groups according to the presence (+) or absence (−) of gastric atrophy and H. pylori infection. Results Of the 3328 included participants, 17 were incidentally diagnosed as having either gastric adenoma or carcinoma. The incidence of gastric neoplasm was highest in the gastric atrophy (+)/H. pylori (−) group (4.17%; OR 25.8, P = 0.009), but the neoplasm exhibited the least advanced histology. The gastric atrophy (−)/H. pylori (−) group exhibited the lowest incidence of gastric neoplasm (0.17%) but the most advanced histology. Conclusion A combination of serum PG levels and H. pylori antibody test is useful for detecting gastric neoplasms based on the slow gastric carcinogenesis pathway progressing from gastric adenoma to Lauren's intestinal-type gastric cancer, but not for those with advanced histology such as Lauren's diffuse-type gastric cancer.

Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) symptoms are common; however, the role of Helicobacter pylori and gastric corpus atrophy in the generation of these symptoms is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for UGI symptoms in adults in an endemic area of H. pylori infection. Korean adults who completed questionnaires on the day of serum anti-H. pylori IgG and pepsinogen (PG) assays before UGI endoscopy were included. Gastric corpus atrophy was based on the criteria of a serum PG I/II ratio

Asymptomatic erosive esophagitis (AEE) is considered an erosive esophagitis without the typical reflux symptoms, but the clinical course and significance of AEE is still unclear. We investigated the prevalence and predisposing factors of AEE, and tried to determine its clinical features and significance. Subjects, who had at least two health inspections (upper endoscopy, self-reporting questionnaire, and serum Helicobacter pylori IgG antibody test) at our center, were enrolled. The questionnaire included typical reflux symptoms, previous medical history, underlying disease, smoking, alcohol intake, and medication history. Based on the results of follow-up study, the changes in endoscopic findings and reflux symptoms were also investigated. Of the 2961 patients visiting our clinic, 568 (19.2 %) were diagnosed with AEE. Age over 50 years, male sex, a body mass index over 25, current smoking, heavy drinking, negativity for H. pylori infection, and hiatal hernia were independent predisposing factors for AEE (p = 0.020, p

The studies concerning the association between Helicobacter pylori status and colorectal adenoma, premalignant lesions of colorectal cancers, are not consistent. This cross-sectional study investigated the association of colorectal adenoma with H. pylori infection in a consecutive series of 2,195 asymptomatic average-risk subjects who underwent screening colonoscopy and H. pylori testing. Multivariate analyses were adjusted for potential relevant confounders, including age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, family history of colorectal cancer, and regular use of aspirin. Furthermore, we performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of available studies, including the current study, to clarify whether H. pylori infection is associated with an increased risk of colorectal adenoma. Among 2,195 eligible subjects, 1,253 subjects were H. pylori seropositive and 942 subjects were seronegative. In the H. pylori (+) group, the prevalence of colorectal adenoma and advanced adenoma was significantly higher than in the H. pylori (−) group (25.3 vs. 20.1 %, p = 0.004 and 6.1 vs. 2.9 %, p

Nodular gastritis (NG) has been reported in adult dyspeptic patients, whereas information on NG in asymptomatic patients is limited.To evaluate the prevalence, clinico-epidemiological characteristics, and expression profiles of inflammatory cytokines or cytokine regulatory factors of NG in asymptomatic adults.A cross-sectional study was conducted prospectively using 2,579 consecutive asymptomatic subjects who underwent screening esophagogastroduodenoscopy. The expression of inflammatory cytokines or cytokine regulatory factors in the gastric mucosa of NG patients was evaluated using immunofluorescence staining.NG was diagnosed in 52 patients (2.0%) and showed a predilection for females (M:F = 1:1.89) and young adults (median age: 34 years; range: 25-51 years). All NG patients were positive for Helicobacter pylori infection. Based on multivariate analysis, the risk of NG was increased in patients younger than 40 years (OR, 7.57; 95% CI, 3.76-15.24) and of the female gender (OR, 2.12; 95% CI; 1.05-4.28). Immunofluorescent staining for interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-10, IL-18, IL-18 binding protein, IL-32, IL-33, and neutrophil proteinase 3 (PR3) was performed on cryosections of gastric mucosa. Interestingly, the expression of PR3 was highly increased in the gastric biopsies from asymptomatic NG patients but was expressed infrequently in the controls.Asymptomatic NG is associated with H. pylori infection, and a predilection for this condition exists in young females. The PR3 expression of gastric mucosa might play an important role in the pathogenesis of NG.

AIM To investigate the relationship between serum titers of anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) immunoglobulin G (IgG) and hepatitis B virus surface antibody (HBsAb). METHODS Korean adults were included whose samples had positive Giemsa staining on endoscopic biopsy and were studied in the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg)/HBsAb serologic assay, pepsinogen (PG) assay, and H. pylori serologic test on the same day. Subjects were excluded if they were positive for HBsAg, had a recent history of medication, or had other medical condition(s). We analyzed the effects of the following factors on serum titers of HBsAb and the anti-H. pylori IgG: Age, density of H. pylori infiltration in biopsy samples, serum concentrations of PG I and PG II, PG I/II ratio, and white blood cell count. RESULTS Of 111 included subjects, 74 (66.7%) exhibited a positive HBsAb finding. The serum anti-H. pylori IgG titer did not correlate with the serum HBsAb titer (P = 0.185); however, it correlated with the degree of H. pylori infiltration on gastric biopsy (P < 0.001) and serum PG II concentration (P = 0.042). According to the density of H. pylori infiltration on gastric biopsy, subjects could be subdivided into those with a marked (median: 3.95, range 0.82-4.00) (P = 0.458), moderate (median: 3.37, range 1.86-4.00), and mild H. pylori infiltrations (median: 2.39, range 0.36-4.00) (P < 0.001). Subjects with a marked H. pylori infiltration on gastric biopsy had the highest serological titer, whereas in subjects with moderate and mild H. pylori infiltrations titers were correspondingly lower (P < 0.001). After the successful eradication, significant decreases of the degree of H. pylori infiltration (P < 0.001), serum anti-H. pylori IgG titer (P < 0.001), and serum concentrations of PG I (P = 0.028) and PG II (P = 0.028) were observed. CONCLUSION The anti-H. pylori IgG assay can be used to estimate the burden of bacteria in immunocompetent hosts with H. pylori infection, regardless of the HBsAb titer after HBV vaccination.

Background: Nodular gastritis (NG) is associated with the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection, but there are controversies on nodule regression in adults. The aim of this study was to analyze the factors that are related to the nodule regression in adults diagnosed as NG. Methods: Adult population who were diagnosed as NG with H. pylori infection during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) at our center were included. Changes in the size and location of the nodules, status of H. pylori infection, upper gastrointestinal (UGI) symptom, EGD and pathology findings were analyzed between the initial and follow-up tests. Results: Of the 117 NG patients, 66.7% (12/18) of the eradicated NG patients showed nodule regression after H. pylori eradication, whereas 9.9% (9/99) of the non-eradicated NG patients showed spontaneous nodule regression without H. pylori eradication (P < 0.001). Nodule regression was more frequent in NG patients with antral nodule location (P = 0.010), small-sized nodules (P = 0.029), H. pylori eradication (P < 0.001), UGI symptom (P = 0.007), and a long-term follow-up period (P = 0.030). On the logistic regression analysis, nodule regression was inversely correlated with the persistent H. pylori infection on the follow-up test (odds ratio (OR): 0.020, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.003 - 0.137, P < 0.001) and short-term follow-up period < 30.5 months (OR: 0.140, 95% CI: 0.028 - 0.700, P = 0.017). Conclusions: In adults with NG, H. pylori eradication is the most significant factor associated with nodule regression. Long-term follow-up period is also correlated with nodule regression, but is less significant than H. pylori eradication. Our findings suggest that H. pylori eradication should be considered to promote nodule regression in NG patients with H. pylori infection. Gastroenterol Res. 2015;8(6):296-302 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/gr692w

Background The efficacy of proton-pump inhibitor–amoxicillin–clarithromycin therapy for H. pylori eradication has decreased over time. Objective We assessed the trend of H. pylori eradication rates over the last 10 years and the relationship between the eradication rates and the amount of macrolide antibiotic use in a country with a high prevalence of H. pylori infection. Methods This vast nationwide multicenter study was conducted with 34,139 adults treated for H. pylori infection from January 2001 to December 2010. The defined daily dose per km2 (DSD) of macrolide antibiotics was calculated (n = 141,019) using the Health Insurance Review & Assessment data base from 2008 to 2010 in the two cities which had the lowest (Jeju city) or highest (Chuncheon city) eradication rate. Results The eradication rates of proton-pump inhibitor–amoxicillin–clarithromycin therapy ranged 84.9–87.5% from 2001 to 2007, and those of 2008 to 2010 ranged 80.0–81.4% with a decreasing trend (p < 0.0001). The decreasing trend of eradication rates for the overall first-line therapy was observed only in three of the seven geographic areas in Korea (p < 0.0001). The DSD of macrolide antibiotics was significantly higher in Jeju than Cheunchon city (0.85 vs 0.52, p < 0.0001). Conclusions H. pylori eradication rates with clarithromycin-containing triple therapy in Korea showed a decreasing trend over the past 10 years, although the trend varied among geographic areas. This difference may be associated with the amount of macrolide antibiotic use.

Long-term Helicobacter pylori infection results in atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia (IM) with Cdx2 expression. We have tried to determine if there was a link between endoscopic and histological diagnosis of IM based on the status of aberrant Cdx2 expression. One hundred and one subjects agreed to upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination, with biopsy sampling for histology, Giemsa, and Cdx2 immunohistochemical staining before and after the treatment. On endoscopic examination, atrophic gastritis was defined as discoloration with blood vessel transparency, and was classified as either closed or open. Metaplastic gastritis was defined by the presence of whitish patches, whitish plaques, and/or homogeneous whitish discoloration. Histologic analysis was performed to determine H. pylori density, intensity of acute polymorphonuclear cell infiltrates and chronic mononuclear infiltrates, gastric atrophy, and IM as demonstrated using immunohistochemistry for cdx2. Cdx2 protein expression (P = 0.018) and the prevalence of histologically detected IM (P = 0.011) were higher in cases of endoscopically diagnosed open-type atrophic gastritis and metaplastic gastritis than in closed-type atrophic gastritis and nonatrophic/nonmetaplastic cases. The degree of activity (P = 0.006) and inflammation (P = 0.007) improved significantly after four weeks of successful H. pylori eradication treatment, whereas the degree of atrophy, metaplasia, and Cdx2 expression did not. Unlike endoscopic diagnosis of closed-type atrophic gastritis, that of open-type atrophic gastritis is highly correlated with the histological diagnosis of IM and Cdx2 expression. Endoscopically diagnosed open-type atrophic gastritis and endoscopically diagnosed metaplastic gastritis have similar histological features, which suggests that a high percentage of IM cases are diagnosed as open-type atrophic gastritis by endoscopic examination.

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori is unevenly distributed in hypochlorhydric environments. The study aim was to elucidate the risk factors for a negative Giemsa staining finding in seropositive subjects by measuring the secretory ability of the stomach. METHODS Subjects aged over 18 years were included consecutively after endoscopic biopsy at gastric lesions with color or structural changes. Blood was sampled for the serum pepsinogen (PG) assay and H. pylori serology test. After excluding the subjects with past H. pylori eradication, the risk factors for a negative Giemsa staining finding in seropositive subjects were analyzed. RESULTS Among 872 included subjects, a discrepancy between the serum anti-H. pylori IgG and Giemsa staining findings was found in 158 (18.1%) subjects, including 145 Giemsa-negative, seropositive subjects. Gastric adenocarcinoma/adenoma (OR = 11.090, 95% CI = 3.490-35.236) and low serum PG II level (OR = 0.931, 95% CI = 0.899-0.963) were the independent risk factors for a negative Giemsa staining finding in seropositive subjects. The cutoff value of serum PG II level was 7.45 ng/mL (area under curve [AUC] = 0.904, 95% CI = 0.881-0.927). Follow-up studies of Giemsa staining at different sites of the stomach revealed that 75% of the Giemsa-negative seropositive subjects with adenocarcinoma are positive, whereas none of those with low serum PG II level of

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2/neu) is an important target for treatment of gastric cancer using trastuzumab and Helicobacter pylori is a well-known risk factor of gastric cancer. We investigated the association of Her2/neu overexpression with Helicobacter pylori and other clinicopathologic factors in gastric cancer patients who underwent curative resection.Her2/neu immunohistochemistry was performed in gastric cancer patients who underwent curative gastrectomy or endoscopic submucosal dissection. Analysis about its associations with clinicopathologic features such as Lauren histologic types, differentiation, Helicobacter pylori infection, location, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and AJCC tumor stage was performed retrospectively.The incidence of Her2/neu 3+, 2+, 1+ and 0 was 8.9%, 22.1%, 4.4% and 64.6% respectively. Intestinal type of gastric cancer showed higher incidence of Her2/neu 3+ than diffuse type. The score 2+ and 3+ was more common in Helicobacter pylori-positive patients than Helicobacter pylori-negative patients (p = 0.024). 7th American joint Cancer Committee Tumor stage, depth of tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis did not show correlation with the level of Her2/neu expression.Helicobacter pylori-positive gastric cancer showed more Her2/neu overexpression. Helicobacter pylori eradication may be necessary to avoid Her2/neu overexpression.

To determine whether the combination test of serum pepsinogen (PG) levels and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antibody was effective for predicting the incidence and histology of gastric neoplasms.This study included asymptomatic Korean adults who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy with blood tests for PG levels and H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibody test on the same day. Participants with extragastric malignancy, history of H. pylori eradication or gastric neoplasms, or recent antacid medication were excluded. Gastric atrophy was defined as a serum PG I/II ratio ≤3.0 and PG I ≤70 ng/mL. The participants were classified into four groups according to the presence (+) or absence (-) of gastric atrophy and H. pylori infection.Of the 3328 included participants, 17 were incidentally diagnosed as having either gastric adenoma or carcinoma. The incidence of gastric neoplasm was highest in the gastric atrophy (+)/H. pylori (-) group (4.17%; OR 25.8, P = 0.009), but the neoplasm exhibited the least advanced histology. The gastric atrophy (-)/H. pylori (-) group exhibited the lowest incidence of gastric neoplasm (0.17%) but the most advanced histology.A combination of serum PG levels and H. pylori antibody test is useful for detecting gastric neoplasms based on the slow gastric carcinogenesis pathway progressing from gastric adenoma to Lauren's intestinal-type gastric cancer, but not for those with advanced histology such as Lauren's diffuse-type gastric cancer.

Tu1722 Does Antibody Producibility Affect the Serum Anti-Helicobacter pylori Immunoglobulin G Antibody Titer? Hyun Ah Chung*, Sun-Young Lee, Jeong Hwan Kim, Hyung Seok Park, Chan Sup Shim, in-Kyung Sung Department of Internal Medicine, Kunkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of) Background/Aims: Serum antibody titer differs according to the antibody producibility of the host. Hepatitis B vaccination is performed to all Koreans in the infancy or childhood supported by the national insurance, but some do not produce hepatitis B virus surface antibody (HBsAb) after the vaccination. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether the serum anti-H. pylori IgG antibody titer is related to serum HBsAb titer in Korean adults. Methods: Consecutive Korean adults with positive Giemsa staining who underwent serum pepsinogen (PG) assay, anti-H. pylori IgG antibody test, hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg)/antibody test, and endoscopic biopsy for H. pylori evaluation on the same day were included. Subjects were excluded if they were under 20 years old, showed a positive HBsAg finding, had a recent history of medication, or were in immunocompromised state. Results: Of 158 Korean adults who fulfilled the study inclusion criteria, 107 subjects (67.7%) showed marked H. pylori infiltration based on the Updated Sydney System, whereas 33 (20.9%) and 18 (11.4%) showed moderate and mild infiltration. The serum anti-H. pylori IgG antibody titer was significantly correlated with the amount of H. pylori infiltration on gastric biopsy (p!0.001), PG II concentration (pZ0.012), and PG ratio (p!0.001), but not to the serum HBsAb titer (pZ0.649) and PG I concentration (pZ0.115). The serum HBsAb titer in the subjects with marked H. pylori infiltration on the gastric biopsy was not different from those of the subjects with moderate and mild H. pylori infiltration (pZ0.505). Conclusions: The serum anti-H. pylori IgG antibody titer is significantly linked to the bacterial load of the stomach regardless of the antibody producibility of the host. The serum anti-H. pylori IgG antibody test can be used for estimating the burden of bacteria in immunocompetent host with H. pylori infection. Tu1723 Difference of Micoromucosal Patterns of the Gastric Corpus Mucosa BetweenHelicobacter pylori-Associated and Autoimmune Gastritis Patient Noriya Uedo*, Ervin Toth, Ryu Ishihara, Tomofumi Akasaka, Noboru Hanaoka, Yoji Takeuchi, Koji Higashino, Artur Nemeth, Gabriele W. Johansson, Henrik Thorlacius, Hiroyasu Iishi Gastrointestinal Oncology, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, Osaka, Japan; Endoscopy, Skane University Hospital, Malmo, Sweden; Surgery, Skane University Hospital, Malmo, Sweden Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-associated gastritis and autoimmune gastritis are two major entities of chronic atrophic gastritis. However, characteristic of micromucosal pattern observed by magnifying endoscopy of these diseases has not been fully investigated. Aim of this study is to compare magnifying endoscopic appearance between H. pylori-associated and autoimmune gastritis. Methods: Six H. pylori naive, 14 H. pylori-associated gastritis and 7 autoimmune gastritis patients were enrolled in this study. A videoendoscope, EVIS GIFFQ260Z, that can be used in high-resolution white light, autofluorescence (AFI) and magnifying narrow band imaging (M-NBI) modes was used to evaluate mucosal features. Extent of mucosal atrophy in the corpus was determined as extent of greenish areas in AFI. A 2 2 cm area at the lesser curvature of the corpus about 4 cm proximal to the angulus was set as the region of interest for evaluation of micromucosal patterns. The micromucosal patterns were classified into Foveola and Groove type according to magnifying chromoendoscopic and M-NBI findings. The Foveola type mucosa was characterized as mucosa with round, oval, or short linear foveolae (gastric pits) on magnifying chromoendoscopy. On M-NBI, it had network of dark brown subepithelial capillary that surround light brown epithelium. The Groove type mucosa was characterized by mucosal crests or papillae that were divided by continuous grooves on magnifying chromoendoscopy, and had light brown epithelium that encase dark brown subepithelial capillary. Proportion of the micromucosal patterns were categorized as, Foveola O80%; Foveola 50-80%; Groove 50-80%; and Groove O80%. Biopsy sample was taken from the region of interest to evaluate histological grade of gastritis. Results: All H. pylori naive patients had purple corpus mucosa and the micromucosal pattern was Foveola type. 10 of 14 (71%) patients with H. pylori-associated gastritis showed medium to large greenish atrophic mucosa at the lesser curvature of the corpus, and 13 of 14 (93%) had various proportion of groove type mucosa. All autoimmune gastritis patients had large area of greenish mucosa in the entire corpus but most (O80%) of micromucosal pattern was Foveola type. The biopsy specimen in H. pylori-associated gastritis patients had higher grade of intestinal metaplasia than that in autoimmune gastritis patients. Conclusion: Micromucosal pattern of the gastric corpus mucosa in H. pylori associated-gastritis patients was unlike to that of autoimmune gastritis patients suggesting different pathogenesis of these diseases AB572 GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY Volume 81, No. 5S : 2015 Summary of endoscopic appearances

Microsatellite instability (MSI) reflects the defect in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathways and plays an important role in certain malignancies. However, the role of MSI in the development of gastric B-cell lymphomas remains unsettled. We aimed to investigate the clinical significance of MSI in patients with gastric B-cell lymphoma.Seven micosatellite loci (BAT25, BAT26, D2S123, D5S346, D17S250, D14S50, IGF-IIR) were used for MSI analyses. Microsatellite genotypes were categorized as microsatellite stable (MSS, no positive marker), low frequency MSI (MSI-L,40% positive marker) and high frequency MSI (MSI-H,40% positive marker). Among the gastric B-cell lymphoma patients who underwent MSI analysis between September 2002 and May 2003, twenty-two patients were enrolled. Median follow-up duration was 23 months (6-32 months).Median age was 46 years (26-73 years). Male to female ratio was 1:1.4. Twelve patients (54.5%) underwent Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication and ten patients (45.5%) underwent chemoradiation therapy. No case presented MSI-H. MSI-L was observed in 40.9% (9/22). Between MSS group and MSI-L group, there was no significant difference in age, tumor stage, location, grade of large cell component, H. pylori infection, bulk of tumor and proportion of regression or recurrence. All positive markers belonged to the dinucleotide markers.The current study suggests that the role of MSI is questionable in the development of gastric B-cell lymphoma due to their low incidence.

Background: Improvements to dyspeptic symptoms after medication is often incomplete, and thus controversy exists over the use of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in nonulcer dyspepsia. This study analyzed the factors predictive of the benefits to symptomatology after H. pylori eradication. Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with dyspeptic symptoms were included in a prospective setting. Metaplastic gastritis was diagnosed by endoscopic findings with a gastric biopsy. The urea breath test (UBT) was performed 4 weeks after H. pylori eradication by a 7-day course of pantoprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin. A positive UBT resulted in a subsequent 7-day course of pantoprazole, bismuth, tetracycline, and metronidazole. The patients were asked to score five major symptoms (epigastric pain, early satiety, postprandial fullness, bloating, and nausea) as 0 (none), 1 (rare), 2 (intermittent), 3 (frequent) to 4 (always) before and after the successful eradication. Results: Of 153 H. pylori-infected subjects, 120 patients were successfully eradicated after first-line therapy, with second-line therapy being successful in the remaining 31 patients and third-line therapy using fluoroquinolone in 2 patients. The symptoms persisted after the eradication in 28 (54.9%) of 51 metaplastic gastritis patients and in 24 (23.5%) of 102 non-metaplastic gastritis patients (p

Background/Aims: Gastric atrophy can be diagnosed by serum pesinogen I/II ratio. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the changes of serum pepsinogen I/II ratio can be predicted by gastroscopy. Materials and Methods: Sixty healthy subjects who underwent screening for serum pepsinogen I/II levels, serum Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antibody, and gastroscopy for two sequential years were included. Endoscopic findings were classified into four different categories according to the degree of chronic atrophic gastritis; none, mild, moderate, and severe. Changes of the serum pepsinogen I/II ratio, body mass index, H. pylori antibody, and endoscopic findings were analyzed after a year. Results: The serum pepsinogen I/II ratio showed a tendency to decrease after a year in subjects with H. pylori infection (P=0.013) and those with moderate to severe atrophic gastritis (P=0.004), whereas it increased in subjects without H. pylori infection and those with none to mild atrophic gastritis. On multivariate analysis, the degree of atrophic gastritis was the only factor that was related to the changing trends of the serum pepsinogen I/II ratio (odds ratio=5.385, P=0.023). Conclusions: The degree of atrophic gastritis on endoscopic findings can predict the changes of the serum pepsinogen I/II ratio after a year. Regardless of the current status of H. pylori infection, the serum pepsinogen I/II ratio decreases after a year in subjects with moderate to severe atrophic gastritis. (Korean J Helicobacter Up Gastrointest Res 2012;12:96-102)