[Clinical endoscopic and pathomorphologic study of the stomach in vibration disease]

The authors present results of manifold evaluation of stomach in 109 patients with vibration disease caused by various vibration characteristics. The evaluation covered clinical signs, laboratory studies, endoscopic and pathomorphologic methods with light and electronic microscopy, in vitro radioautography and morphostereologic analysis. Features of gastric disease in vibration disease are asymptomatic course, depressed gastric secretion, prevalent atrophic changes of mucosa on endoscopy. Morphologic analysis of gastric biopsies revealed marked dystrophy and atrophy of the lining, glandular atrophy, diffuse stromal sclerosis and in most cases no signs of gastritis. The findings are termed vibration gastropathy.