Gastric Histopathology and Serum Levels of Gastric Peptides according to Types of Helicobacter Pylori in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia

Background/Aims: Clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) can be divided into at least two major types. Type I bacteria express VacA(vacuolating cytotoxin) and CagA(cytotoxin-associated antigen), type II bacteria do not exp~ress VacA or CagA. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the changes of gastric histology and serum level of gastric peptides(gastrin and pepsinogen) according to the bacteriological types in H. pylori infection. Methods: In patients with H. pylori-positive functional dyspepsia, we classified the type of infection serologically by detecting IgG antibodies to CagA and VacA. Each patient was also evaluated for the degree of gastric inflammation and serum concentrations of gastrin and pepsinogen(PG). IgG antibodies to these proteins and concentrations of gastrin and PG were detected by using a immuno-blot kit and a radioimmunoassay kit, respectively, from the sera of each patient. From endoscopically biopsied antral specimens, the degree of gastric inflammation was evaluated by scoring inflammatory changes.ope