Autoimmune gastritis

Autoimmune gastritis

This is an autoimmune condition in which there are circulating antibodies to parietal cells that results in atrophy of the parietal cell mass, hence hypochlorhydria and ultimately achlorhydria. As intrinsic factor is also produced by parietal cells there is malabsorption of vitamin B , which, if untreated, may result 12 in pernicious anaemia. The antrum is not a ff ected; thus, hypochlorhydria leads to production of high levels of gastrin from antral G cells, resulting in chronic hypergastrinaemia with consequent hypertrophy of ECL cells in the body of the stomach not a ff ected by autoimmune damage. Over time, microadenomas develop in the ECL cells, sometimes becoming identifiable tumour nodules that rarely can become malignant; endoscopic screening of such patients may be appropriate.