Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori by invasive test: histology

The aims of this study were to demonstrate the trends in seropositivity and the eradication therapy rate for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) over an 18-year period in an asymptomatic Korean population and to explore the factors associated with H. pylori seropositivity and its eradication therapy. In total, 23,770 subjects (aged 17–97 years) from a health examination center participated in this cross-sectional study from January 2016 to June 2017. Questionnaires that included questions about the participants’ H. pylori eradication therapy history were collected, and anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies were measured. Among the eligible subjects, the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection was 41.5%. The H. pylori eradication therapy rate increased continuously from 2005 (13.9%) to 2011 (19.3%) and then increased again until the first half of 2017 (23.5%) (P < 0.001). After exclusion of subjects with a history of gastric surgery, gastric cancer, H. pylori eradication therapy, or gastric symptoms, H. pylori seropositivity was 43.9% in 16,885 subjects, which was significantly lower than the seropositivities in 1998 (66.9%), 2005 (59.6%), and 2011 (54.4%). The risk factors associated with H. pylori seropositivity according to multivariable analysis were male sex (odds ratio (OR) 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23–1.46), medium educational level (OR 1.17, 95% CI: 1.05–1.31), medium household income level (OR 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03–1.19), and age of 60–69 years (OR 8.78, 95% CI: 6.41–11.85). The observed downward trend in H. pylori seroprevalence and increase in H. pylori eradication over the 18-year period will affect upper gastrointestinal disorders in South Korea.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) affects the efficacy of eradication therapy. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of primary and secondary resistance of H pylori isolates to antibiotics in Korea.Methods: The present study was performed from 2003 to 2018. Primary resistance was evaluated in 591 patients without any history of eradication and secondary resistance in 149 patients from whom Helicobacter pylori was cultured after failure of eradication. A minimal inhibitory concentration test was performed for amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, tetracycline, levofloxacin, and rifabutin using the agar dilution method.Results: An increase in the primary resistance rate was found in clarithromycin (P < .001), metronidazole (P < .001), and both levofloxacin (P < .001) during the study period. The primary resistance rates of amoxicillin and tetracycline were low and stable during the study period. The secondary resistance rate significantly increased in metronidazole and levofloxacin (P = .022 and .039, respectively).Conclusions: The primary and secondary resistance rates of clarithromycin, metronidazole, and levofloxacin for Helicobacter pylori in Korea were high and increased over time. However, the primary and secondary resistance rates of amoxicillin and tetracycline were low and stable over time. These results will help in selecting effective eradication regimens of H pylori in Korea in the future.

Sung Eun Kim, Nayoung Kim, Ju Yup Lee, Kyung Sik Park, Jeong Eun Shin, Kwangwoo Nam, Hyeon Ju Kim, Hyun Joo Song, Young-Eun Joo, Dae-Seong Myung, Ji-Hyun Seo, Hyun Jin Jo, Seon Mie Kim, Seon Hee Lim, Hyun Jin Kim, Gwang Ho Baik, Sang Hyeon Choi, and Suck Chei Choi. J Neurogastroenterol Motil 1999;0:. https://doi.org/10.5056/jnm18068

Atrophic gastritis is a precancerous condition, which can be diagnosed by several methods. However, there is no consensus for the standard method. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlations among endoscopic, histologic, and serologic findings for the diagnosis of atrophic gastritis. From March 2003 to August 2013, a total of 2,558 subjects were enrolled. Endoscopic atrophic gastritis was graded by Kimura-Takemoto classification and histological atrophic gastritis was assessed by updated Sydney system. Serological assessment of atrophic gastritis was based on serum pepsinogen test. The serum pepsinogen I/II ratio showed a significant decreasing nature when the extent of atrophy increased (R(2)=0.837, P<0.001) and the cut-off value for distinguishing between presence and absence of endoscopic atrophic gastritis was 3.2. The serum pepsinogen I and pepsinogen I/II ratio were significantly lower when the histological atrophic gastritis progressed and the cut-off value was 3.0 for a diagnosis of histological atrophic gastritis. A significant correlation between endoscopic and histological atrophic gastritis was noted and the sensitivity and specificity of endoscopic diagnosis were 65.9% and 58.0% for antrum, 71.3% and 53.7% for corpus, respectively. The endoscopic, histological, and serological atrophic gastritis showed relatively good correlations. However, as these three methods have a limitation, a multifactorial assessment might be needed to ameliorate the diagnostic accuracy of atrophic gastritis.