[Atrophic gastritis as a pre-cancer gastric condition: a new view of the old problem].

Abstract The aim of the work was to study the relationship between structural changes in gastric mucosa affected by atrophic gastritis and inflammation associated with Hp infection. Endoscopic examination and NBI-visualization were used to assess distribution and severity of inflammation in 500 patients with different gastric pathologies. Histological material was studied to detect Hp. Structural changes of metaplastic type most frequently occurred in patients with atrophic gastritis (72 of 81, 88.9%), surface and erosive gastritis (13 or 3.5% and 16 or 14.3% respectively), p < 0.001. Hp infection and inflammatory-destructive changes showed no apparent trends. Mucosal changes characteristic of atrophy were only rarely accompanied by marked inflammation (14.8%) and were either mild (21%) or moderately severe (64.2%). It suggests that atrophy of gastric mucosa should be regarded as independent condition while the term atrophic gastritis should be used only in case of association between atrophy and inflammation confirmed by microscopic studies.