Abstract
Background
Serum pepsinogen (PG) levels correlate with the degree of gastric mucosal inflammation and atrophy, which correlate with gastric cancer risk, in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Serum PG levels change after eradication of H. pylori, but it is not known if there are corresponding changes in the gastric mucosa. We examined whether the degree of gastric atrophy correlated with PG levels measured after eradication of H. pylori.
Methods
We retrospectively examined the relationship between gastric atrophy and serum levels of PG I, PG II and PG I/II ratios measured after eradication of H. pylori. The degree of gastric mucosal atrophy before H. pylori eradication was scored (0, 1, 2) according to the Kyoto classification of gastritis.
Results
A total of 430 treated patients were enrolled. Serum levels of PG I (ρ = − 0.362 and P < 0.001), PG II (ρ = − 0.158 and P = 0.001) and PG I/II ratio (ρ = − 0.337 and P < 0.001) all correlated negatively with atrophy scores. When PG I/II was less than 3.4, 5.4 or 6.7, the probability of the open type of gastric atrophy was estimated to be 75%, 50%, or 25%, respectively.
Conclusion
Our results suggest that serum PG levels measured after H. pylori eradication can be used to estimate the degree of gastric mucosal atrophy and are useful for selecting individuals with a high risk of gastric cancer after H. pylori eradication.
Association of serum pepsinogen with degree of gastric mucosal atrophy in an asymptomatic population
