Association of serum pepsinogen with degree of gastric mucosal atrophy in an asymptomatic population

BACKGROUND Atrophic gastritis is a precancerous lesion of the stomach.It has been reported that pepsinogen(PG)can reflect the morphology and function of the gastric mucosa,and it is therefore used as a marker for the early diagnosis of atrophic gastritis.AIM To evaluate the diagnostic value of serum PG for degree of gastric mucosal atrophy in asymptomatic Chinese upon physical examination.METHODS Medical data were collected from subjects who underwent transnasal gastroscopy between October 2016 and October 2018.For each study subject,serum PG levels and presence of Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection were investigated.Pathology was evaluated using the Operative Link for Gastritis Assessment(OLGA)classification and Operative Link on Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Assessment(OLGIM)systems.All statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS statistical software.RESULTS A total of 2256 subjects were enrolled and 1922 cases were finally included in the study.Based on the OLGA grading system,the levels of PGI were slightly decreased,while those of PGII were slightly increased.The PGI/PGII ratio(PGR)was reduced with increasing atrophy.The association between PG and OLGA grading was higher compared with that between PG and the OLGIM grading system.Compared with the OLGA-0 group,a statistically significant difference was observed in the mean age of OLGA-Ⅰ,Ⅲ,and Ⅳ groups(P<0.05).In the H.pylori-positive subjects,the PGR levels were notably lower in the OLGA-Ⅰ,Ⅱ,and Ⅲ groups compared with the OLGA-0 group(P<0.05).H.pylori-positive subjects exhibited significantly higher PGI and PGII serum levels and a significantly lower PGR compared with H.pylori-negative patients in different OLGA groups(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Serum PG levels may represent a non-invasive screening marker for gastric mucosal atrophy in asymptomatic subjects.