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Biomedical subjects

M Siurala

Publications and source records attributed to M Siurala.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Positive serum antibody and negative tissue staining for Helicobacter pylori in subjects with atrophic body gastritis.

Helicobacter pylori is rarely found in gastric biopsy specimens from individuals with atrophic gastritis of the body mucosa. To determine if subjects with atrophic body gastritis have evidence of previous infection with H. pylori, immunoglobulin G antibody to H. pylori was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in sera of 399 Finnish subjects. In 124 subjects, multiple biopsy specimens from body and antrum had been evaluated for the presence of H. pylori by Giemsa staining. Antibody correlated well with H. pylori staining except in the subgroup with atrophic body gastritis, in whom the prevalence of seropositivity (86%) was significantly greater than the prevalence of positive staining (33%) (P less than 0.001). Twenty-five subjects had positive antibody and negative staining. This group had a significantly higher prevalence of atrophic body gastritis (80%), lower maximal acid output, lower serum pepsinogen I levels, and higher serum gastrin concentrations than did seropositive subjects with H. pylori. These data suggest that most patients with atrophic body gastritis, despite having a low incidence of current overt infection, have been infected with H. pylori at some point in their lives.

Adult

Characteristics of gastric mucosa which precede occurrence of gastric malignancy: results of long-term follow-up of three family samples.

The aim of the study was to evaluate what family characteristics and what morphological, functional and immunological changes of the gastric mucosa precede the development of gastric malignancy in a follow-up of 11-14 years. The material consisted of 301 first-degree relatives of gastric carcinoma patients, 183 relatives of pernicious anaemia patients, and of 358 control relatives of probands computer matched from the general population by age and sex for the carcinoma probands. All subjects were endoscopically examined in 1973-1976 and followed up to the end of 1987. According to cancer registry data, 11 cases of malignant gastric tumours (9 carcinomas, one carcinoid tumour and one anaplastic tumour with suspicion of Hodgkin's disease) had been diagnosed during the follow-up: 6 belonged to gastric carcinoma, 2 to pernicious anaemia and 3 to control families. The occurrence of malignancy was significantly related to the presence of advanced gastritis with atrophy and of intestinal metaplasia before the start of the follow-up. In relatives with achlorhydria and low serum pepsinogen I levels the incidence of malignancy did not significantly differ from that in controls of similar age and sex distribution. The risk of getting malignancy was about four-fold in female members of gastric carcinoma and pernicious anaemia families but was not increased in control families. The risk was increased only in female members and concerned only gastric malignancy being the expected one or even lower than the expected in regard to malignancies of other location.

Anemia, Pernicious

Enrichment of combined antral and corpus atrophic gastritis ("combined AG") in sibs of gastric carcinoma patients.

The occurrence of different combinations of antral and corpus atrophic gastritis (AG) was studied in 127 sibs and 159 children of 73 gastric carcinoma patients. Seventy-three control probands, age- and sex-matched for the carcinoma probands, and their 379 first-degree relatives were used as controls. Sibs of gastric carcinoma patients revealed a significant enrichment of AG affecting simultaneously both antrum and corpus (combined AG), while no such enrichment could be demonstrated in children, who behaved on the whole similarly to the controls. In addition, sibs of gastric carcinoma patients showed a significant aggregation of combined AG also when compared with children of similar age. This suggests that genetic factors in addition to environmental ones participate in the accumulation of combined AG in sibs. The lack of phenotype AB in children excludes the possibility of dominant Mendelian inheritance, but leaves the possibility of a recessive autosomal or multigenetic inheritance. The enrichment of combined AG in sibs of gastric carcinoma patients could be one of the factors involved in the increased liability of close relatives of gastric carcinoma patients to contract gastric malignancy.

Adult

Chronic gastritis profiles in sibs of probands calculated to carry a highly increased risk of gastric carcinoma.

Of 1161 subjects consisting of 4 family samples (gastric carcinoma patient relatives, pernicious anaemia, duodenal ulcer and control families) 18 subjects representing 17 families had distinct atrophic changes in the gastric mucosa that were considered on the basis of risk calculations to carry an at least 7-fold risk to develop gastric carcinoma. Twelve of these 18 subjects could be used as probands and their 41 sibs were subjected to a closer statistical analysis. Sibs of probands having a very high relative risk of gastric carcinoma (18-fold or more) differed markedly from the general population. All sibs had some form of atrophic gastritis and there was a significantly higher than expected prevalence of subjects with severe corpus mucosal atrophy. It is concluded that sibs of subjects with severe atrophic changes may carry an increased risk of gastric malignancy.

Anemia, Pernicious

Helicobacter pylori and duodenal ulcer. A study of duodenal ulcer patients and their first-degree relatives.

Out of 59 duodenal ulcer (DU) probands and their 199 first-degree relatives Giemsa-staining for the determination of Helicobacter pylori (HP) was performed in 51 probands and 155 relatives. Controls were matched by age and sex from a family sample representing the same geographical area. In all, 155 controls were found for the probands and relatives. The occurrence and score of HP density showed an excellent correlation with morphology of the mucosa, signs of acute inflammation and presence of gastric metaplasia in the duodenal bulb. The prevalence of HP was 94% in DU probands and significantly higher than in their relatives and controls. In sibs of DU probands the prevalence of HP (64%) was also significantly higher than in controls (51%) obviously due to the presence of a subgroup of sibs with signs of active or past duodenal ulcer disease, which show higher than expected prevalence of HP, and of acid hypersecretion and high levels of serum pepsinogen I (PG I). Peak acid output (PAO), serum pepsinogen I and II and fasting serum gastrin levels were in relatives without atrophy higher in HP positive than negative cases but significant differences were present only with regard to the pepsinogens. The occurrence of HP positivity as well as of high PAO and pepsinogen levels might be considered risk factors of DU disease in close relatives of DU probands. On the other hand, the significance of HP positivity as cause of abdominal complaints is doubtful, in view of the complete lack of correlation between HP and morphology and complaints in the present study.

Adult

Functional characteristics of duodenal ulcer patients and their first-degree relatives.

The behaviour of acid secretion, serum pepsinogen I and II (PG I and PG II) and morphology of the gastric mucosa were analyzed in 59 duodenal ulcer probands (DU probands), their 199 first-degree relatives and 228 control subjects. DU probands had as a rule antral gastritis with normal or slightly altered corpus mucosa, and higher mean peak acid output (PAO), PG I and II levels than their relatives and controls. Sibs of DU probands differed from their controls mainly with regard to morphology which showed features characteristic of DU probands, i.e. antral gastritis with normal or slightly altered corpus mucosa. Moreover, high PAO levels were found highly significantly more often in sibs of DU probands (13%) than in controls (6%). Likewise, the prevalence of endoscopic signs of active or past duodenal ulcer were present in sibs highly significantly more often than in controls and they accumulated in the subgroup of sibs with high PAO or PG I levels. It seems probable that the occurrence of high PAO and PG I levels in sibs of DU probands can be considered as signs of increased liability to duodenal ulcer. PAO and PG I were as expected significantly higher in male than in female probands, relatives and controls. Exclusion of cases of corpus gastritis decreased the levels but the sex difference persisted. PAO, PG I and II revealed a significant increase of the levels in middle age followed in older age in case of PAO and PG I by a significant decrease. The decrease was abolished when the cases of corpus gastritis were excluded suggesting an effect of gastritis. However, the earlier increase of the levels remained virtually unaffected although there was a uniform decrease of the mean values. This suggests the participation of factors unrelated to gastritis. The nature of the factors remains unknown, but literature data and data derived from our recent study suggest involvement of anatomical factors such as an increase in the size of acid and PG I secreting area.

Adolescent

Increase of serum pepsinogen I with age in females with normal gastric mucosa but not in males, possibly due to increase in acid-pepsin secreting area.

The mean pepsinogen I (PG I) level in a Finnish family sample was different in males and females and the difference was statistically significant. After exclusion of subjects with gastritis there remained 67 females and 68 males with morphologically completely normal antral and corpus mucosa. In females there was a significant increase of PG I with advancing age, the regression coefficient being 0.37 and statistically significant (p less than 0.01). In males no such increase was found, and individual cases revealed an almost random distribution with age. A similar increase with age has been noted in gastric acid output in females but not in males. Assuming that there is a linear relationship between PG I levels and the total chief cell mass, the PG I level would be determined by three main variables: thickness of the glandular layer, density of chief cells, and area occupied by chief cells. Of these variables the thickness and chief cell density showed neither in females nor in males any statistically significant increase with age, leaving the area as the variable which would account for the increase of PG I.

Adult

What fraction of hospital ulcer patients is eligible for prospective drug trials?

Data of all 397 gastric ulcer patients diagnosed and treated at Jorvi Hospital, Finland, during 1980-1984 were collected and the outcome followed up for 5-7 years. The commonly used exclusion criteria of prospective drug trials were applied to this series. Only 29% of patients would have been eligible for a trial. The excluded patients were older, their ulcer was larger and more proximally located. Nearly all major complications of gastric ulcer disease leading to surgery (bleeding, perforation, obstruction) and deaths due to gastric ulcer disease appeared in the excluded group. Exclusion criteria may profoundly affect the selection of patients and the results. When many patients are excluded the applicability of results to the whole material is questionable.

Clinical Trials as Topic

Helicobacter pylori and gastritis in children with abdominal complaints.

Gastroscopy with biopsies was performed in 178 children with upper abdominal pain. Of them 109 (61%) had gastritis and 104 (58%) Helicobacter pylori (HP) in antrum and/or corpus. Gastritis consisted in most cases (87% of antral and 86% of corpus gastritis) of mild superficial round cell infiltration. Mucosal atrophy was not found. Accumulation of granulocytes was present in 43 patients and lymphonoduli were found in 33 patients, usually in connection with gastritis. Gastritis affected only the antrum in 18%, only the corpus in 5% and both antrum and corpus in 62% of the cases of gastritis. There was a good correlation between morphology and bacteriology in the antrum and a satisfactory one in the corpus. However, in some cases gastritis was present without bacteria and in some cases a normal mucosa was associated with bacteria. Gastritis and HP prevalences showed a general increasing trend with age, but significances were with one exception lacking. It is tentatively concluded that gastritis begins in childhood as a slight and chronic superficial infiltration affecting usually antrum and corpus simultaneously. In the majority of cases gastritis is associated with HP infection, which seems to start the process. It is possible that the HP-related gastritis is a common cause of abdominal complaints in children; however, convincing evidence is lacking.

Abdominal Pain

Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori infestation and the development and progression of chronic gastritis: results of long-term follow-up examinations of a random sample.

One hundred and thirty-nine subjects representing a randomly selected sample of an Estonian urban population examined endoscopically, bioptically and bacteriologically in 1979 was re-examined in 1985. In the antrum the development of superficial gastritis was clearly associated with the appearance or persistence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infestation. The further progression of superficial gastritis could less clearly be related to HP infestation, although regression and progression of antral superficial gastritis was significantly associated with the disappearance or presence of the bacteria. The progression of atrophic antral gastritis as well as the development and progression of all body gastritis seemed unrelated to the HP infestation. It is concluded, that HP infestation is in some way involved in the appearance of the first stages of chronic gastritis, but is less related or unrelated to its further progression, which is probably determined mainly by factors other than HP.

Campylobacter Infections

Cumulative 10-year risk of symptomatic duodenal and gastric ulcer in patients with or without chronic gastritis. A clinical follow-up study of 454 outpatients.

The cumulative rate of symptomatic peptic ulcer (PU) was examined in a 10-year clinical follow-up study of 454 consecutive outpatients who had undergone diagnostic gastroscopy, from whom routine biopsy specimens were taken from the antral and corpus mucosa, and who were found to be ulcer-free before and at the time of this initial gastroscopy. During the follow-up period 34 (11%) of 321 patients who showed gastritis in the biopsy specimens at the initial gastroscopy had contracted symptomatic PU (18, 5, 7, and 4 cases of duodenal, pyloric, antral, and angular or corpus ulcer, respectively), which was verified by endoscopy. Only 1 (0.8%) of 133 patients with normal antral and corpus mucosa had contracted PU. It was calculated that the 10-year cumulative probability of PU was 10.6% (95% confidence interval (CI95), 7.2-14.0%) in the patients with gastritis, whereas this probability was only 0.8% (0-2.2%) in the patients who had normal antral and corpus mucosa in the initial specimens. The cumulative probability of PU was found to be highest, 27.3% (1.0-53.6%), in middle-aged men (41-60 years of age) who had chronic antral gastritis or chronic pangastritis (gastritis in both antrum and corpus). It is concluded that chronic gastritis precedes the appearance of PU and that the cumulative 10-year risk of PU is very low when both antral and corpus mucosa are normal but may be high if chronic gastritis is present.

Adult

Fasting levels of serum gastrin in different functional and morphologic states of the antrofundal mucosa. An analysis of 860 subjects.

The relationship of fasting serum gastrin (FSG) levels to the histologic state of antral and body mucosa and to the stimulated acid output (PAO) was examined in 860 subjects. The FSG levels correlated with PAO and atrophy of the body mucosa: the FSG increased linearly with an increase in the grade of body atrophy and increased exponentially when the PAO decreased from 'normal' (greater than 10 meq/h) to zero. In subjects with achlorhydria or marked hypochlorhydria (PAO less than 1.1 meq/h) accompanying moderate or severe atrophy in the gastric body mucosa, FSG decreased linearly with increasing grade of atrophy in the antral mucosa. No such relationship between antral atrophy and FSG was found in subjects who had a PAO above 1.1 meq/h or who had non-atrophic gastric body mucosa. We conclude that the state of the antral mucosa influences the FSG level, but only when the function of antral G cells is maximal--that is, in achlorhydric or nearly achlorhydric conditions in which the inhibitory effect of intragastric acidity on the G cells' secretion of gastrin into the circulation is minimal.

Atrophy

[Helicobacter pylori and chronic gastritis in the gastric biopsy material in a group of randomly selected adult inhabitants of Estonia].

The occurrence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) was examined in 227 subjects randomly selected among the Estonian population of town Kuressaare. HP was present in 166 subjects (73%). In cases of normal mucosa both in antrum and body HP was lacking. If normal gastric body mucosa was associated with antral gastritis HP was found in both regions. More often the contamination of antral and body mucosa with HP occurred in case of superficial gastritis. In subjects with atrophic gastritis the occurrence of HP decreased. The frequency of HP was high (58%) already in the age group of 15-19 years and increased to 83% at the age of 20-29 years. In subjects over 60 years it decreased due to the development of atrophic gastritis.

Adolescent

Peptic ulcer and chronic gastritis: their relation to age and sex, and to location of ulcer and gastritis.

The progression, age-behaviour and profiles of chronic gastritis were studied in 460 patients with active gastric or duodenal ulcer, and in 226 patients with ulcer scar. The results were compared with those obtained from a sample of subjects representing the general population. In patients with ulcer or ulcer scar, the progression of chronic gastritis was more rapid in antrum than in body mucosa, and was more rapid in patients with proximal ulcer in those with distal ulcer or in controls. In the body the progression of gastritis was significantly slower in patients with duodenal or juxtapyloric ulcer than in patients with proximal ulcer or in nonulcer controls: body gastritis tended to remain on the same level at all ages whereas it showed a steady progression with age in the nonulcer controls. The degree of gastritis showed a tendency to increase along the shift of ulcer to more proximal in the stomach; the prevalence of gastritis of pure B type (moderate or severe atrophy in antrum, but no atrophy in body mucosa) correspondingly increased along this shift. Severe antral atrophic gastritis was found in 7 per cent of proximal active gastric ulcers and in 20 per cent of proximal ulcer scars. The progression of antral and body gastritis was on the whole more rapid in males than in females irrespectively of the location of ulcer. We conclude that gastritis in different types of ulcers shows characteristic patterns of distribution, dynamics and progression with age. The high prevalence of severe grades of atrophic antral gastritis may also be of significance in regard to the pathogenesis of gastric cancer.

Aged

Increased risk of gastric cancer in males affects the intestinal type of cancer and is independent of age, location of the tumour and atrophic gastritis.

Male sex, high age and atrophic gastritis (AG) are risk conditions for gastric carcinoma (GCA). We have studied the magnitude of the sex-bound risk of GCA and whether this risk is an independent risk factor for GCA or whether it is related to the risks that are mediated by age and AG. The observed frequencies of males and females in different age groups, and in presence or absence of AG, among 532 GCA patients (273 cases of intestinal (IGCA) and 259 cases of diffuse (DGCA) type) were compared with the expected frequencies which were calculated by applying the data of age-specific distributions of the sexes and AG in the general population. A significant 1.6-fold overrepresentation of males and 0.6-fold underrepresentation of females were seen in IGCA but not in DGCA. The overrepresentation of the male sex and the underrepresentation of the female sex in IGCA were independent of age of the patient and location of the tumour in the stomach. These phenomena were also independent of AG: the overrepresentation of males and the underrepresentation of females were observed in IGCA patients with normal, non-atrophic mucosa as well as in IGCA patients with AG. We conclude that the sex is an independent risk factor for IGCA, and that the phenomena which lead to overrepresentation of males and underrepresentation of females among IGCA patients (and among GCA patients in general) are unrelated to age, AG and location of the tumour in the stomach.

Adult

Campylobacter pylori in a sample of Finnish population: relations to morphology and functions of the gastric mucosa.

The occurrence of Campylobacter pylori (CP) was examined in 179 subjects representing a sample collected from the population of South Finland. In a normal antral and body mucosa CP was present in 5% and 11% and in superficial gastritis (SG) in 71% and 91% of subjects, respectively. In atrophic gastritis (AG) of antrum and body the prevalence of CP decreased significantly with an increasing degree of atrophy, so that CP was not found in severe body AG. Different combinations of antral and body gastritis revealed a characteristic pattern. Campylobacter pylori was lacking when antral and body mucosa were normal, but was present in 41% when normal mucosa was associated with gastritis in the opposite area. In SG affecting diffusely antrum and body, the bacterium was present in every case, but when SG was associated with AG in the opposite area it was lacking in 29% of the subjects. When SG affecting both areas was compared with SG accompanied by different degrees of AG in the body, there was a highly significant decrease of the prevalence of CP in antrum and body along with an increasing degree of AG in the body. This decrease showed a highly significant positive correlation with the acid output. On the whole, acid output correlated well with the occurrence of CP in both antrum and body. Thus the prevalence of CP was 10% in achlorhydria and rose up to 100% in cases with acid output above 30 mmol/h. The presence of CP did not correlate with signs of acute inflammation, but correlated significantly with those of chronic inflammation. No correlation was found in the antrum and a significant negative one in the body, between CP infestation and the extension of intestinal metaplasia. It is concluded that increased pH of gastric contents and mucus secreted by intestinalised glands may create unfavourable conditions for survival of the bacteria and might explain the decrease in the prevalence of CP in the more severe degrees of AG. The present results, however, give no definite answer to the question of the pathogenic significance of CP in the development of chronic gastritis.

Adult

Decreased incidences of intestinal and diffuse types of gastric carcinoma in Finland during a 20-year period.

The incidence of gastric carcinoma (GCA) has decreased throughout the world. This decrease is attributed to a decline in incidence of the intestinal type of GCA (IGCA), whereas the diffuse (DGCA) type of GCA is considered to be endemic in nature and more stable in incidence. In the present study we have estimated how much the incidences of IGCA and DGCA have decreased in percentage in Finland from 1952-61 to 1972-81. Our calculations are based on the Finnish Cancer Registry data of new GCA cases, on population statistics in Finland, and on the percentage distribution of GCA subtypes in three consecutive samples of GCA patients collected in the time periods 1952-61 (reference series) and 1972-81 (two separate samples: series A and B). The samples totaled 1837 GCA cases. We calculated that the incidence of IGCA had decreased from 1952-61 to 1972-81 by 62-71% (reference series versus series A - reference series versus series B) among men and by 69-70% among women. Correspondingly, the incidence of DGCA was calculated to have decreased by 30-39% among men and 37-42% among women. We conclude that not only has the incidence of IGCA decreased in percentage approximately twice as much as the incidence of DGCA but DGCA has also distinctly decreased in incidence in Finland from 1952-61 to 1972-81.

Adult