All issues > Volume 41(2); 1998

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1998;41(2):200-208. Published online February 15, 1998.

Serum Pepsinogen Ⅰ, Ⅱ Levels and Upper Gastrointestinal Diseases in Children with H. pylori Infection

Je Woo JW Kim¹, Ki Sup KS Chung¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Ki Sup KS Chung ,Email: 1

Abstract

Purpose
: In H. pylori infection serum pepsinogen Ⅰ/Ⅱ ratio decreases and pepsinogen Ⅱ level is increased. Increased serum pepsinogen Ⅱ level correlates with pathologic severity of gastritis. We assayed serum pepsinogen Ⅰ, Ⅱ levels and pepsinogen Ⅰ/Ⅱ 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 Ⅰ and Ⅱ 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 Ⅰ increased in H. pylori positive children(P<0.01). Pepsinogen Ⅱ were higher in the H. pylori positive patients compared to Helicobactor negative group(P<0.001). Pepsinogen Ⅰand Ⅱ were significantly higher(P<0.01 in pepsinogene Ⅰ: P<0.01 in Ⅱ) in children with nodular gastritis with Helicobactor positive than any other disease including H. pylori negative without duodenal ulcer. Pepsinogen Ⅰ/Ⅱ 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.

Keywords :H. pylori, Serum pepsinogen Ⅰ and Ⅱ levels, Upper gastrointestinal disease