Distribution trends of gastric polyps: an endoscopy database analysis of 24 121 northern Chinese patients

Traditionally the most common gastric polyps are hyperplastic polyps (HPs). However, in the last two decades, fundic gland polyps (FGPs) have greatly increased in Western countries. We aimed to re-evaluate and compare the distribution of gastric polyps in a northern Chinese population in 2000 and 2010.

Consecutive patients with gastric polyps detected in 2000 and 2010 were analyzed and biopsies were re-evaluated. Data including patients' age, sex, symptoms and the number, size, location, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection of polyps were recorded.

A total of 6784 and 17 337 patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy in 2000 and 2010, 68 and 183 patients were diagnosed with gastric polyps, respectively. H. pylori infection decreased from 54.4% to 37.7% (P = 0.017). Overall, spectrum of gastric polyps changed (P < 0.001). HPs accounted for 28.3% and decreased from 48.5% to 20.8%, adenoma/carcinoma and inflammatory polyps also decreased. FGPs were present in 50.6% and increased from 8.8% to 66.1%. The location of polyps was also changed with an increase of polyps in gastric corpus. There was a high proportion of FGPs in females, while adenomas/adenocarcinomas were more common in males. The distribution pattern was similar in young and elderly patients.

Spectrum change of gastric polyps was observed over the past 10 years in the northern Chinese population most likely due to the higher proportion of FGPs. Further studies are required to investigate the reasons and confirm whether it will lead to a different management strategy in China.