Atrophy of the gastric mucosa is easy to misdiagnose

The article was professionally consulted by a doctor from the Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Gastric mucosal atrophy is the final stage of chronic gastritis, however, it is difficult to detect because the symptoms are often nonspecific and easily misdiagnosed.

Atrophic gastritis is a phenomenon caused by H. pylori bacteria that cause stomach ulcers, which destroy the mucosa after a long time. Gastric mucosal atrophy is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation, where gastric glandular cells are lost and replaced by intestinal mucosal epithelium, pyloric gland and fibrous fascia, which is the final stage of gastritis. chronic thickness.

Atrophy of the gastric mucosa occurs silently and does not present any typical symptoms. However, common signs of H.pylori infection:
Abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting Loss of appetite, loss of appetite, Weight loss Stomach ulcers Anemia, iron deficiency Autoimmune atrophic gastritis can lead to deficiency Vitamin B12, causes anemia symptoms such as:
Fatigue, dizziness, chest pain, heart palpitations Tinnitus Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause nerve damage such as:
Numbness in the limbs or ants crawling Unsteady, unsteady walking Mental disorders (occurs when autoimmune gastritis due to vitamin B12 deficiency) It should be noted that stomach ulcers will cause abdominal pain, heartburn, sour mouth more than atrophy. gastric mucosa. When you see the above symptoms, it is necessary to immediately seek medical attention for timely examination, diagnosis and treatment.

The lining lining the inside of the stomach has two main tasks: secreting acids to disinfect and digest food, and protecting the stomach. With gastric mucosal atrophy, the patient will have symptoms depending on which function is most affected.
According to actual working experience and research by Japanese author Kimura, when the gastric mucosa atrophy, the acid secretion function of the patient is most affected, so the symptoms related to this problem. More common: dyspepsia, bloating, quick satiety, loss of appetite, belching, feeling of tightness in the chest after eating, abdominal bloating, loose stools. However, in some cases, the protective function is affected first, so the patient has a lot of abdominal pain above the navel and a lot of pain when eating spicy food. Despite having a lot of pain, the patient always complains of indigestion, fullness, bloating, and loss of appetite.
Patients are often misdiagnosed as peptic ulcers for two reasons:
Peptic ulcer disease also has symptoms of abdominal pain and bloating. But it should be noted that peptic ulcer will cause abdominal pain, heartburn, sour mouth more than gastric mucosal atrophy. 50% of cases of gastric mucosal atrophy are accompanied by gastritis, and endoscopic evaluation of the old method will be difficult to detect mild and moderate gastric mucosal atrophy.

The method to help accurately diagnose gastric mucosal atrophy is endoscopy called Kimura, endoscopic devices with the function of resolving the stomach surface and digital staining, helping doctors to detect it. gastric mucosal atrophy at a very early stage brings high efficiency in treatment. Patients can recover after a short time.
Accurate diagnosis and early appropriate treatment will help patients not have a decrease in quality of life, moreover can prevent the risk of early cancer appearing on the atrophy areas. gastric mucosa.
Gastric mucosal atrophy is often misdiagnosed due to atypical symptoms. However, when you see signs such as abdominal pain, bloating, and loss of appetite, you should immediately go to a medical facility for examination, early diagnosis, and appropriate treatment to help prevent the risk of complications. stomach cancer occurs.
Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the hospitals that not only ensures professional quality with a team of doctors, modern equipment and technology, but also stands out for its examination, consulting and service services. comprehensive and professional medical treatment; civilized, polite, safe and sterile medical examination and treatment space.