Long-term follow-up of gastric metaplasia after eradication of Helicobacter pylori.

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS There is no commonly accepted view concerning changes in gastric metaplasia after the eradication of Helicobacter pylori. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term course of gastric metaplasia after the eradication of this bacterium. METHODS The subjects were 59 patients with duodenal ulcer who were positive for Helicobacter pylori. Forty patients were classified as the eradication group. Gastric metaplasia was endoscopically and histologically evaluated before and after eradication of this bacterium. The follow-up period was 2-7.1 years. In the other 19 patients in the non-eradication group, gastric metaplasia was evaluated before and after treatment of the ulcer. Gastric metaplasia was evaluated in terms of its extent and type in all patients. RESULTS Gastric metaplasia showed the incomplete type before eradication but changed to the complete type after eradication, which persisted for a long period. The extent of gastric metaplasia increased after eradication. In the non-eradication group, gastric metaplasia infrequently changed to the complete type during the scarring period of ulcer. CONCLUSION Gastric metaplasia changed to the complete type after the eradication of Helicobacter pylori, which persisted for a long period.