<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> gastritis and epithelial cell proliferation in patients with reflux oesophagitis after treatment with lansoprazole

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori gastritis may spread proximally in the stomach during profound acid inhibition. AIMS: To examine histological gastric body changes and epithelial cell proliferation before and after treatment with lansoprazole. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed as having reflux oesophagitis grade 1 or 2 were enrolled and treated for 12 weeks with lansoprazole (30 mg every morning). After 12 weeks, 103 of the 118 patients appeared endoscopically healed and were asymptomatic; they then received maintenance treatment with 15 or 30 mg lansoprazole daily. Biopsy specimens obtained from similar sites before and after treatment, were available from 90 patients after a median of 64 weeks (range 15-73 weeks). Epithelial cell proliferation was determined by the number of Ki-67 antigen positive cells per gland. RESULTS: Of these 90 patients, 44 (49%) were found to be infected with H pylori. Their median inflammation score had increased from grade 1 before to grade 2 after treatment (p < 0.0001). Initially, the number of Ki-67 antigen positive cells per gland was significantly higher in the H pylori infected than in the uninfected group and increased further after treatment (p < 0.0001). In uninfected patients, no significant change in inflammation or proliferation occurred during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A marked increase in body gastritis was observed in H pylori infected individuals during long term treatment with the proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole. Epithelial cell proliferation and atrophy also increased in infected but not in uninfected patients.