[Evaluation of the number of enterochromaffin cells in gastric mucosa in subjects with functional dyspepsia].

UNLABELLED: Enterochromaffin cells (EC) in gastric mucosa produce of serotonin and melatonin and trough its paracrine activity able to change motoric and secretory function. AIM OF OUR STUDIES: To evaluate the density of enterochromaffin cells in gastric mucosa in subjects with functional dyspepsia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The investigations were performed in 50 subjects including 25 subjects with Postprandial Distress Syndrome and 25 subjects with Epigastric Pain Syndrome accordingly to Rome Criteria III. The comparative group comprised 25 healthy subjects. To identify enterochromaffin cells the bioptates were collected from the corpus and prepyloric part of the stomach and stained immunohistochemically.

RESULTS: Number of EC cells in corpus part were--healthy subjects 1.68 +/- 0.35, in patients with PDS--1.26 +/-0.37 (p < 0.001) and in EPS--2.11 +/- 0.43 (p < 0.01). In antrum Number of EC cells were: K--2.52 +/- 0.52, PDS--1.79 +/- 0.3 (p < 0.01), EPS--2.69 +/- 0.46 (p > 0.05). The results of urea breath test (UBT-13C) were: PDS--13.10 +/- 6.49% per hundred, EPS--18.98 +/- 10.11% per hundred (p < 0.05). In group of patients with EPS the positive correlation between number of enterochromaffin cells and urea breath test results was observed.

CONCLUSIONS: The number of EC cells in gastric mucosa in subjects with functional dyspepsia is different than in healthy subjects. Evaluation of the number of enterochromaffin cells could have clinical value in differential diagnosis in functional dyspepsia.