[Noninvasive diagnosis of chronic atrophic gastritis by serology]

The authors describe a current approach to the laboratory diagnosis of chronic gastritis, by using the plates of serological tests: pepsinogen I (PG-I), gastrin 17, and antibodies to Helicobacter pylori (HP). These tests and a questionnaire were used to examine 168 persons aged 45-70 years, who were a random population sample. Almost a fourth of the adult population was observed to have pronounced gastric mucosal atrophic changes, which might be associated with the high prevalence of HP infection. The concentration of PG-I is high in the persons infected with HP, its cytotoxic strains in particular, its elevated level servers as a valid marker of peptic ulcer disease and gastroesophageal reflux.