Serum Pepsinogen l, ll Levels and Upper Gastrointestinal Diseases in Children with H. pylori Infection

Kim, Je Woo; Chung, Ki Sup

Abstract

PURPOSE
In H. pylori infection serum pepsinogen l/ll ratio decreases and pepsinogen ll level is increased. Increased serum pepsinogen ll level correlates with pathologic severity of gastritis. We assayed serum pepsinogen l, ll levels and pepsinogen l/ll ratio to evaluate the relationship between the serum pepsinogen level and upper gastrointestinal diseases.
METHODS
One hundred and sixty-five children who had undergone upper gastrodudenal endoscopic examination with CLO test and silver stain were included. Pepsinogen l and ll levels were detected in serum by radioimmunoassay.
RESULTS
Age distributions were: 3 patients below 5 years, 55 patients between 6 and 10 and 107 over 11. Thirty-two (19%) were H. pylori positive, and 133 (81%) were negative. Pepsinogen l increased in H. pylori positive children (P<0.01). Pepsinogen ll were higher in the H. pylori positive patients compared to Helicobactor negative group (P<0.001). Pepsinogen l and II were significantly higher (P<0.01 in pepsinogene l: P<0.01 in ll) in children with nodular gastritis with Helicobactor positive than any other disease including H. pylori negative without duodenal ulcer. Pepsinogen l/ll ratio was lower in children with nodular gastritis with H. pylori positive (P<0.001) than in children with any other disease including Helicobacter negative.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that serum pepsinogen levels are inportnat in pathogenesis of upper gastrointestinal disease in children with H. pylori infection.