Association between Pattern of Gastritis and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Patients with Helicobacter Pylori Infection

BACKGROUND Reflux disease is a common gastrointestinal problem. The association between reflux disease and gastritis pattern is controversial. AIM: To determine the association between reflux disease and gastritis pattern in patients with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. METHODS 470 patients with dyspepsia and reflux disease were enrolled in this study. The inclusion criteria were willing to participate in the study, age over 40 years, and having the criteria of ROME III for at least 3 months. Patients with history of H. pylori eradication therapy during the 3 months before the study, a history of gastric surgery, and gastric cancer were excluded. All of the participants underwent upper endoscopy and two biopsy samples were taken from antrum, body, and fundal areas. RESULTS H. pylori infection rate was 367 (78.1%) with mean age of 59.8 ± 11.4 years. Of them 131 patients (35.7%) were male. Reflux disease was detected in 273 (74.4%) patients. 216 (58.9%) and 102 (27.8%) patients had non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), respectively. Corpus predominant and antral predominant gastritis were seen in 72 (19.6%) and 129 (35.2%) patients, respectively. Antral gastritis was significantly associated with GERD (p<0.01). In regression analysis, antral predominant gastritis had a significant association with GERD (OR=1.92; 95%CI: 1.22- 3.12). The same result was observed in mild to moderate antral and greater curvature gastritis (OR= 1.26; 95%CI: 0.25-6.40 and OR= 3.0; 95%CI: 0.63-14.17, respectively). CONCLUSION According to these finding ,we could suggest that the pattern of gastritis could be associated with reflux disease and GERD.