[Changes in the severity of atrophic gastritis after Helicobacter pylori eradication]

There is a diversity of opinions as to whether Helicobacter pylori eradication leads to the improvement or regression of atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia (IM), which are considered precursor lesions of intestinal type gastric cancer. We have made a 1.5-yr follow-up study after H. pylori eradication, but no significant improvement of atrophy or IM has so far been found. Some other factors than H. pylori may also play an important part in the development and progress of atrophic gastritis. The discrepancy between our data and others may be caused in part by the different methods of assessment of the grade of atrophy and sampling of biopsies.