Multiple Pseudopolyps Presenting as Reddish Nodules Are a Characteristic Endoscopic Finding in Patients with Early-stage Autoimmune Gastritis

• Published in: Internal Medicine Vol. 59; no. 23; pp. 2995 - 3000
• Main Authors: Kotera, Tohru, Oe, Keishi, Kushima, Ryoji, Haruma, Ken
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine 01.12.2020; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Aged; anti-parietal cell antibody; Atrophy; Atrophy - diagnostic imaging; Autoantibodies; Autoimmune Diseases - diagnosis; Autoimmune Diseases - physiopathology; autoimmune gastritis; Biopsy; Case Report; Early Diagnosis; Endoscopy; Female; gastric pseudopolyp; Gastritis; Gastritis, Atrophic - diagnosis; Gastritis, Atrophic - physiopathology; Glands; Humans; Hypertrophy - diagnostic imaging; Internal medicine; Japan; Male; Middle Aged; Mucosa; Nodules; parietal cell pseudohypertrophy; Polyps - diagnostic imaging; Treatment Outcome; Japan; gastric pseudopolyp; anti-parietal cell antibody; parietal cell pseudohypertrophy; autoimmune gastritis
• ISSN: 0918-2918; 1349-7235
• DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.4637-20

We herein report two cases of autoimmune gastritis without complete atrophy of the corpus. Both were positive for anti-parietal cell antibodies. Endoscopic examinations indicated that atrophic changes were predominant in the lesser curvature of the corpus in both cases. In one, the greater curvature was covered with pseudopolyp-like nodules, whereas the greater curvature of the other showed multiple similar nodules and mildly atrophic mucosa. Histopathological examinations of these nodules showed focal and patchy atrophy and preserved fundic glands with parietal cell pseudohypertrophy. Follow-up endoscopy and a repeated biopsy demonstrated the development of gastric atrophy on the greater curvature in both cases.