Gastritis y gastropatías (II). Gastritis crónica atrófica y gastritis hipertrófica

Abstract

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is a disease with a multifactorial etiology that produces a depletion of gastric glands, affecting the secretory function of the stomach and the absorption, mainly, of iron and vitamin B12. Its importance lies in the fact that the changes in the gastric epithelium it causes can lead to the onset of gastric cancer. A confirmatory diagnosis is made by means of endoscopic biopsies, which will also determine the need for follow-up on CAG according to the presence or absence of certain histopathological features. There is no specific treatment for CAG beyond the management of its complications.Hypertrophic gastritis can occur as a secondary infiltration of the gastric epithelium or due to pathologies that primarily produce this endoscopic appearance of the gastric mucosa. Of note is Ménétrier's disease, a rare disease whose pathophysiology is largely unknown that is also associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer. It is characterized as a disease that leads to a protein-losing enteropathy. The diagnosis is based on demonstrating the anatomic-pathological changes in the gastric epithelium that are typical of the disease. Treatment involves multiple agents of varying efficacy, such as antisecretory drugs and octreotide.