Prevalence of Multiple White and Flat Elevated Lesions in Individuals Undergoing a Medical Checkup

OBJECTIVE: The pathogenesis of multiple white and flat elevated lesions in the stomach has not been elucidated. We investigated the prevalence of such lesions and their characteristics in affected individuals. METHODS: The subjects were 1,995 individuals (1,320 men, 675 women; mean age 54.2±9.5 years) who visited our medical center for a comprehensive annual medical checkup and in whom the status of Helicobacter pylori infection could be determined. The presence of multiple white and flat elevated lesions in the stomach and the degree of gastric mucosal atrophy were evaluated using endoscopic findings. RESULTS: Multiple white and elevated lesions in the stomach were observed in 60 subjects (3.0%), who were predominantly women and older in comparison to those without such lesions. The prevalence rates of these lesions in H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative and in post-eradicated subjects were 0.5%, 1.3%, and 4.6%, respectively. A multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that post-eradication status, female gender, older age, and a higher grade of gastric mucosal atrophy were significant risk factors for the occurrence of multiple white and elevated lesions. CONCLUSION: Multiple white and elevated lesions were frequently observed in subjects with successful H. pylori eradication.