Diagnostic accuracy of the serum profile of gastric mucosa in relation to histological and morphometric diagnosis of atrophy

BACKGROUND: Histology is the gold standard for diagnosis of atrophy but is hampered by observer variation. A reliable method to overcome this issue is morphometric analysis of gastric mucosa. Serum pepsinogens and gastrin have been proposed in the diagnostic work-up of gastric atrophy although diagnostic accuracy of these tests is considered unsatisfactory. AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of gastric serum profile in relation both to morphological and morphometric diagnosis of gastric atrophy. METHODS: Ninety-four dyspeptic out-patients underwent upper endoscopy and evaluation of serum levels of PGI, PGII and 17-gastrin. Diagnostic accuracy of gastric serum profile was tested by receiver operating characteristic curves and by evaluation of sensitivity and specificity in relation to both histology and morphometric analyses. RESULTS: As far as concern to histological evaluation, only PGI/PGII ratio showed an acceptable diagnostic accuracy in discrimination of gastric atrophy, while, when morphometric analysis was considered as reference, both serum PGI level and PGI/PGII ratio showed an excellent performance. However, both PGI and PGI/PGII ratio showed low sensitivity and high specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Serological gastric profile corresponds better with the morphometric diagnosis of atrophy, even if, because of the low sensitivity, today this could only be used as screening test of chronic atrophic gastritis.