A review of the clinicopathologic characteristics of intestinal metaplasia in gastric mucosal biopsies

INTRODUCTION: Although it is a well recognized premalignant lesion of the stomach, there is a dearth of information on the clinicopathologic features of gastric intestinal metaplasia in Nigerians. It is, therefore, necessary to study these features and their possible contribution to the development of gastric carcinoma in Nigerians. METHODS: All gastric biopsies with the histo-morphologic features of intestinal metaplasia diagnosed at the department of morbid anatomy and forensic medicine, Obafemi Awolowo university teaching hospitals complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria between January 2006 and December 2010 were used for the study. RESULTS: A total of 165 biopsies (21.3% of all gastric biopsies within the study period) with background chronic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia were reviewed. The mean age of patients with intestinal metaplasia was 50.3 years ± 17 standard deviation (SD) while the ages of the patients ranged from 10-100 years. There were 83 males (50.3%) with a mean age of 48.1 ± 18.2 SD years and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 44.1-52.1 years. There were, however, 82 females (49.6%) with a mean age of 52.5 (± 15.8 SD) years and a 95% CI of 49.0-56.0 years. There was no significant association between the histologic type of intestinal metaplasia and the patients’ sex, age groups, severity of chronic gastritis, disease activity or degree of gastric glandular atrophy. CONCLUSION: There are no statistically significant differences in the clinicopathologic characteristics of the subtypes of intestinal metaplasia. In majority of patients, progression from intestinal metaplasia to gastric adenocarcinoma probably takes an average of about 7 years.