Abstract

Backgroud/Aims: The role of Helicobacter pylori in bile reflux gastritis (BRG) is uncertain. We show the role of H. pylori and pathology in BRG. Methods: Thirty seven patients, including 5 patients who had undergone subtotal gastrectomy, were diagnosed with BRG by gastroscopic findings of bile-stained mucosa with hyperemia/ erosions. We measured total bile acid (TBA) concentration and compared the H. pylori positivity between BRG patients and 70 non-BRG patients. We showed how often we could see the pathologic findings of reactive gastritis in BRG and compared the grade of lymphoplasma cell and neutrophil infiltration between H. pylori positive and negative group in BRG. Results: TBA concentration of 10 patients was 7,376.7⁑5,482.6μmol/L. H. pylori positive rate of BRG was 45.9% and that of non-BRG was 70% (p=0.015). The gastric pit elongation and tortuosity were found only in 3 cases with gastric surgery. The grade of lymphoplasma cell and neutrophil infiltration was 2.41⁑0.51 and 1.88⁑0.86 in H. pylori positive BRG and 1.55⁑0.69 and 0.55⁑0.76 in H. pylori negative BRG, respectively (p＜0.001). Conclusions: H. pylori infection in BRG was lower than that in non-BRG. The gastric pit elongation and tortuosity of BRG were not seen often. The lymphoplasma cell and neutrophil infiltration were relatively sparse in H. pylori negative BRG. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 2003;26:8⁣14)

• Keywords: Duodenogastric reflux, Bile reflux gastritis, Helicobacter pylori