Risk factors for atrophic gastritis in the Japanese young and middle-aged: a study using double-contrast upper gastrointestinal barium X-ray radiography.

<bold>Purpose: </bold>To identify risk factors for atrophic gastritis in Japanese young and middle-age subjects by double-contrast upper gastrointestinal barium X-ray radiography (UGI-XR).<bold>Materials and Methods: </bold>We included 351 consecutive Japanese subjects (158 males, 193 females; age 25-49 years, mean 44 years) seen between October 2014 and March 2016. All underwent serum Helicobacter pylori (Hp) antibody- and UGI-XR examinations. Two radiologists independently recorded their UGI-XR findings of atrophic gastritis (AG). Interobserver agreement was assessed by calculating the kappa (κ) coefficient. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the association between AG and the subjects' gender, smoking habit, alcohol intake, body mass index, and Hp infection.<bold>Results: </bold>AG was diagnosed in 85 subjects (24%) on UGI-XR images; interobserver agreement was good (κ = 0.745). By univariate analysis, the male gender and a high serum Hp titer (IgG ≥ 10 U/ml) were significantly association with AG (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that a high serum Hp titer was the only independent, significant factor (p < 0.05). The odds ratio for a high serum Hp titer was 128 (95% CI, 54.8-498.4).<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Our UGI-XR study indicated that Hp infection was significantly associated with AG in Japanese young and middle-aged subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]