Background and purpose: People living on Matzu, a group of small islets, have the highest mortality rate from gastric cancer (GC) in Taiwan. Intestinal metaplasia (IM) is a precursor lesion of GC. We therefore conducted a gastroscopic screening program in this district to evaluate the risk factors associated with IM.
Methods: A total of 274 residents of Matzu, aged 30 years or older, underwent testing for anti-Helicobacter pylori IgG antibody and serum pepsinogen (PG) I/PG II levels, and gastroscopic examination. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors associated with IM in terms of odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results: Among the 274 subjects, 118 (43%) were confirmed to have IM by histologic examination. Individuals aged 60 years or older had a 2.66 times higher risk (95% CI 1.38-5.13) of having IM, as compared with those less than 60 years of age. Subjects with duodenal ulcer had a 60% lower risk of coexisting IM (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.19-0.83). Meanwhile, subjects with gastric ulcer were not at increased risk of IM (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.34-2.08). Low serum PG I level, low PG I/PG II ratio, and positive anti-H. pylori IgG antibody, were associated with IM in the univariate analysis. While age and duodenal ulcer maintained their independent effects in the multivariate analysis, only a low PG I/PG II ratio and H. pylori positivity were significantly associated with IM.
Conclusions: This study of residents of Matzu found that age and H. pylori infection are risk factors for IM, while subjects with duodenal ulcer have a lower incidence of coexisting IM. Low PG I/PG II ratio is a potential noninvasive biomarker of IM.