Analysis of Somatostatin-Secreting Gastric Delta Cells according to Upper Abdominal Symptoms and Helicobacter pylori Infection in Children

PURPOSE: Gastric delta cells (D-cells), which are somatostatin-secreting cells, are the main paracrine inhibitor of acid secretion. The number of D-cells was studied in children presenting with upper gastrointestinal (UGI) disease. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the number of D-cells in the gastric body and antrum through immunofluorescence examinations according to symptoms, endoscopic findings, and Helicobacter pylori infection in 75 children who visited Hanyang University Hospital Pediatrics. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 12.2±3.3 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1:1.4. The mean D-cell number per high-power field in the antrum and body was 20.5 and 12 in children with substernal pain, 18.3 and 10.3 in vomiting, 22.3 and 6 in diarrhea, and 9.3 and 6 in abdominal pain, respectively (p>0.05). According to endoscopic findings, the mean D-cell number in the antrum and body was 14.3 and 6 with gastritis, 14 and 9.3 with reflux esophagitis, 16.7 and 8.7 with duodeno-gastric reflux, 19.3 and 12.7 with gastric ulcer, 16 and 13.7 with duodenitis, and 12.3 and 4 with duodenal ulcer, respectively (p>0.05). The D-cell number in the gastric body was 2.7 and 8.7 in children with current H. pylori infection and non-infected children, respectively (p=0.01), while those in the antrum were 15.5 and 14, respectively, with no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The D-cell number was lower in the gastric body of children with current H. pylori infection. Further studies concerning peptide-secreting cells with a control group would provide information about the pathogenic pathways of UGI disorder.