Objective To evaluate the relationship between intestinal metaplasia (IM) and helicobacter pylori infection in elderly patients with chronic gastritis. Methods The patients over 60 years old and diagnosed as chronic gastritis by endoscopy from January 2008 to December 2009 were divided into two groups by pathological appearance. One group was chronic gastritis with IM (IM group), the other was chronic gastritis without IM (NIM group). The infection of helicobacter pylori, activity of inflammation, atrophy of gland, and folliculus lymphaticus in gastric mucosa were observed. Results The infection of helicobacter pylori, infiltration of neutrophil and atrophy ratio of gland were significantly higher in IM group than in NIM group (52.7% vs. 37.3%, 35.5% vs.24.0 %, 36.6 % vs. 3.5%, x2 = 10. 677, 7.641, 95. 606; P = 0. 001, 0. 006, 0. 000, respectively).There was no statistical difference in presentation of folliculus lymphaticus between IM group and NIM group (x2 = 0.003, P=0. 957). The infiltration of neutrophil and presentation of folliculus lymphaticus were significantly higher in helicobacter pylori positive patients than in helicobacter pylori negative patients (45.8% vs. 14.8%, 42.6% vs. 4.2%, both P=0.000). Conclusions The appearance of IM seems to be related with helicobacter pylori infection, activity inflammation and atrophy of gland. The presentation of folliculus lymphaticus seems to be closely related with helicobacter pylori infection. The eradication treatment of helicobacter pylori infection in the elderly chronic gastritis patients should be strengthened.

Objective To investigate the correlation between helicobacter pylori infection and pathological characteristics of gastric mucosal in the elderly.Methods Retrospective analysis was conducted in 278 patients with benign upper gastrointestinal disease from January 2014 to June 2014.The patients were examined by endoscopy and 13C-UBT,and divided into elderly group (aged 60 years and over,n=111) and non-elderly group (aged＜60 years,n=167).The relationships between Hp infection and pathological changes in gastric mucosal tissue (severe chronic inflammation,neutrophil infiltration,lymph follicles,gastric gland atrophy,intestinal metaplasia) were analyzed.Results There was no significant difference in helicobacter pylori infection rate between the elderly group and non-elderly group [27.0％ (30/111) vs.36.5％ (61/167),P＞0.05].The rate of gastric gland atrophy was higher in elderly group than in non-elderly group [13.5％ (15/111) vs.6.0％ (10/167),P=0.028].The rates of severe chronic inflammation,neutrophil infiltration,lymph follicles,gland atrophy and intestinal metaplasia were 73.6％,70.3％,14.3％,18.7％,29.7％ in patients with helicobacter pylori infection,which were higher than those in patients without helicobacter pylori infection (19.8％,3.2％,0.5％,4.3％,8.6％,respectively,all P=0.000).Removing the factor of Hp infection,the rates of glands atrophy and intestinal metaplasia were higher in elderly group than in non-elderly group (8.6％ vs.0.9％,43.3％ vs.23.0％,P=0.013 and 0.045).Conclusions Helicobacter pylori infection correlates with severe chronic gastric mucosal inflammation,neutrophil infiltration,lymph follicles formation.Gland atrophy and intestinal metaplasia are related to the Hp infection,and age is also their influencing factor.