Varioliform gastritis and duodenitis associated with protein-losing gastroenteropathy, treated with omeprazole

A 44-year-old female with varioliform gastritis and duodenitis had gastrointestinal protein loss revealed by 111indium chloride scintigraphy. Treatment with omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, for 2 months, followed by famotidine, resulted in clinical improvement with resolution of the gastroduodenal lesions and protein loss. Colonization of the stomach with Helicobacter pylori was found before and after the treatment. The results in this patient suggest that omeprazole can be of value for the treatment of varioliform gastritis associated with protein-losing gastroenteropathy. The role of Helicobacter pylori in the pathogenesis of this disease is unclear.