Abstract

Aims: To describe histological findings in gastric mucosa biopsy specimens of children treated with proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) for different periods of time.

Methods: Biopsy specimens from 12 children (aged 8 months to 15 years) treated with PPIs and 8 controls were processed for paraffin embedding and stained with H&E as well as inmmunohistochemically for sialyl-Tn antigen.

Results: The main changes were related to parietal cells which showed brisk cytoplasmic eosinophilia, apical cytoplasmic protrusions to dilated glands, cytoplasmic and nuclear hypertrophy, dilated intracytoplasmic canaliculi, binucleation and multinucleation. The intracellular canaliculi surface showed strong immunohistochemical reaction for sialyl-Tn antigen, apparently a marker for this structure. Some of the patients were biopsied after a short period of oral or intravenously administered omeprazole; the changes may therefore occur rapidly.

Conclusions: PPIs induce the same changes in the gastric mucosa of children as in adults, but the number of nuclei is increased. These effects have not been reported previously in this age group. It is suggested that the changes result from a combination of effects of PPIs and gastrin release.