Comparative evaluation of gastric mucosa morphological changes in children and adults with positive IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori.

PURPOSE Helicobacter pylori colonization of gastric epithelium causes a local and systemic, cellular and humoral immune response. Despite this immune response involvement in the infection, its elimination from the organism does not take place and the process usually becomes chronic. The purpose of the study was to establish the prevalence of gastric mucosa inflammation in children and adults with serum positive anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies IgG. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 171 patients comprising 109 (63.7%) children and 62 (36.3%) adults with IgG positive titre against Helicobacter pylori, who were qualified to the study basing on epidemiological examinations estimating the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in the population of north-eastern Poland living in the country, town and city. All patients reported dyspeptic symptoms. The evaluation was performed basing on the morphological (endoscopy) and histopathological examinations estimating the changes in gastric mucosa of these patients. RESULTS The evaluation of antrum and corpus gastric mucosa proved normal gastric mucosa in 34 children (31.1%) and 10 adults (16.1%) with positive IgG antibodies against Helicobacter pylori. The evaluation of the severity showed the predominance of moderate inflammation within corpus in children (37.6%) and marked inflammation in adults (45.1%). CONCLUSIONS The concentration of IgG antibodies against Helicobacter pylori in both groups was highest in patients with marked antrum gastric mucosa inflammation.