RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Gastric histology, serological markers and age as predictors of gastric acid secretion in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori JF Journal of Clinical Pathology JO J Clin Pathol FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists SP 1293 OP 1299 DO 10.1136/jcp.2005.036111 VO 59 IS 12 A1 Derakhshan, M H A1 El-Omar, E A1 Oien, K A1 Gillen, D A1 Fyfe, V A1 Crabtree, J E A1 McColl, K E L YR 2006 UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/59/12/1293.abstract AB Background: Acid secretion is intimately associated with most upper gastrointestinal diseases. Helicobacter pylori infection is a major environmental factor modifying acid secretion. Aim: To study the association between the pattern of H pylori gastritis and gastric secretory function in a large number of subjects without specific upper gastrointestinal disease. Methods and materials: Maximal acid output (MAO) was measured in 255 patients with dyspepsia showing normal endoscopy. Activity and severity of gastritis, atrophy and H pylori infection were assessed in body and antral biopsies. The correlations of histological parameters as well as age, sex, height, weight, smoking, serum gastrin, pepsinogen I and II, and their ratio with MAO were determined. Multiple linear regression was used to show the best possible predictors of MAO. Results: Negative relationships: Body atrophy and body-combined (active and chronic) inflammatory scores showed a potent inverse correlation with MAO (correlation coefficients (CC) 0.59 and 0.50, respectively). Body:antral chronic gastritis ratio and body:antral combined inflammation ratio (both with CC = 0.49) and age (CC = 0.44) were also inversely correlated with MAO. Intestinal metaplasia at both antral and body sites had negative relationships with acid output with CC = 0.23 and 0.20, respectively. Positive relationships: Serum pepsinogen I, body H pylori density:combined inflammation ratio and pepsinogen I:II ratio with CC of 0.38, 0.38 and 0.30, respectively, correlated with MAO. The H pylori density: combined inflammation of both antrum and body positively correlated with MAO (CC = 0.29 and 0.38, respectively). Male sex and patient height also positively correlated with acid output. Modelling showed that body combined inflammatory score, body atrophy, age and serum pepsinogen I are independent predictors of acid output (R2 = 0.62). Conclusion: Combination of body gastritis, body atrophy, age and serum pepsinogen I can be used as predictors of acid-secretory state in populations infected with H pylori.