gastrins and Sjogren-s-Syndrome

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic liver disease characterized by exocrine gland impairment. Up to now there have been no reports dealing with gastric mucosa involvement in this autoimmune condition, which is frequently associated with Sjögren's syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate the morphologic, biochemical and immunological features of the gastric mucosa in PBC.. A cross-sectional study with matching was performed. Thirty-three PBC patients (30 F, 3 M, mean age 58 years; 17 with stage II-III, and 16 with stage IV disease) and 33 sex- and age-matched dyspeptic controls were included. Six biopsy specimens from the fundus (2), body (2) and antrum (2) were taken from all patients and controls. A serological assessment was performed for each subject, i.e. pepsinogen A (PGA), pepsinogen C (PGC), gastrin (G), and antibodies against Helicobacter pylori (anti-Hp IgG).. Endoscopic gastritis was found in 22 PBC patients (66.6%). There was no difference between PBC patients and controls regarding the percentage of subjects with mild, moderate, severe or atrophic gastritis (AG). There was no difference in gastric mucosal involvement between PBC subjects with or without secondary Sjögren's syndrome. A discrepancy was observed in the data obtained with respect to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. H. pylori colonization was significantly more frequent in controls than in PBC patients (79% vs 49%, p < 0.002), but anti-Hp IgG were detected in the same percentage in the two groups (90% vs 83% respectively). There was no difference between the two groups in the PGA, PGC, PGA/PGC ratio, or gastrin. Eight PBC patients had esophageal varices.. PBC patients are not characterized by chronic atrophic gastritis. Even though they present chronic gastritis with the same prevalence as dyspeptic controls, and show signs of previous H. pylori infection as frequently as dyspeptic patients, they are actually much less frequently infected. The reasons for this observation are unclear.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Bacterial; Case-Control Studies; Chronic Disease; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dyspepsia; Female; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrins; Gastritis; Gastritis, Atrophic; Gastroscopy; Helicobacter Infections; Helicobacter pylori; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary; Male; Middle Aged; Pepsinogens; Sjogren's Syndrome

Histological examination of the gastric mucosa was performed in 44 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome with extraglandular symptoms (mean age 51.9, range 22-76). Biopsy specimens were taken from each of three separate regions: the antrum, the corpus, and the transitional zone between the antrum and the corpus. The incidence of chronic atrophic gastritis was considerably higher in patients with Sjögren's syndrome than in the controls. In the young patients with Sjögren's syndrome atrophic lesions were more common both in the antrum and in the corpus than in the control group. In middle aged patients, however, only the antrum, and in the elderly only the corpus, was much more commonly affected than in the controls. All three types of chronic atrophic gastritis occurred in patients with Sjögren's syndrome. Decreased gastric acid secretion was associated mainly with atrophic gastritis of types A and AB, whereas hypergastrinaemia occurred almost exclusively in gastritis of type A.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Female; Gastric Acid; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrins; Gastritis, Atrophic; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Middle Aged; Sjogren's Syndrome

Stomach secretory function and gastrin concentration in the blood serum were studied in 45 patients with Sjögren's disease. A sharp decrease in acid- and enzymoforming function of the stomach, disorder of the process of mucus formation and hypergastrinemia were detected in 80% of the patients. The relationship of stomach secretory function, gastrin concentration and the gravity of xerostomia was established. Morphology of the mucosa of the body and antral part of the stomach revealed chronic atrophic gastritis. Massive lymphohistiocytic infiltration of the mucous membrane with focal aggregations of lymphoid elements, atrophy and destruction of the glands were revealed. B-lymphocytes prevailed in the cellular infiltrate. T-lymphocytes were found in a small amount among the infiltrate cells and epithelial cells of the main gastric glands.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Female; Gastric Acid; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrins; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pepsin A; Sjogren's Syndrome

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Gastrins; Humans; Sjogren's Syndrome

Topics: Adult; Aged; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Female; Gastrins; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Sjogren's Syndrome

Topics: Adult; Aged; Female; Gastric Acid; Gastrins; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Radioimmunoassay; Sjogren's Syndrome

Topics: Adult; Aged; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Gastrins; Humans; Middle Aged; Osteoarthritis; Sjogren's Syndrome

Topics: Achlorhydria; Adult; Age Factors; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Gastric Juice; Gastrins; Humans; Sjogren's Syndrome