Helicobacter pylori and intestinal metaplasia of gastric mucosa.

BACKGROUND: The role of Helicobacter pylori in stomach carcinogenesis is currently under study. H pylori-related chronic gastritis leading to dysplasia or intestinal metaplasia (IM) especially of the colonic type is postulated as one of the mechanisms. METHODS: We studied 120 patients with or without H pylori infection to determine the frequency of occurrence of IM in the stomach. RESULTS: IM was found in 16.6% of patients; most cases had the small intestinal type, which is not known to have a malignant potential. There was no relation between H pylori infection and development of IM. CONCLUSION: H pylori infection leading to IM does not appear to be a factor in the genesis of carcinoma stomach in our population.