OBJECTIVE. Clinical implications of serum anti-Helicobacter pylori
immunoglobulin G (
IgG) titer were unclear. This study investigated the associations of serum anti-H. pylori
IgG titer with grade of histological
gastritis, mucosal bacterial density and levels of serum
biomarkers, including
pepsinogen (PG) I, PGII, PGI/II ratio and
gastrin-17. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Study participants were from a screening program in northern China. Serum anti-H. pylori
IgG measurements were available for 5922 patients with superficial
gastritis. Serum anti-H. pylori
IgG titer and serum
biomarkers were measured using ELISA, and gastric biopsies were evaluated using standardized criteria. RESULTS. In patients with mild, moderate or severe superficial
gastritis, the mean serum anti-H. pylori
IgG titers were 17.3, 33.4 and 54.4 EIU (p for trend < 0.0001), respectively. As mucosal H. pylori density score increased from 0 to 3, the mean serum anti-H. pylori
IgG titers also increased from 24.7 to 44.8 EIU (p for trend < 0.0001). Serum anti-H. pylori
IgG titer was associated positively with serum PGI, PGII and
gastrin-17 concentrations and negatively with PGI/II ratio, and the association was the strongest for PGII. The mean PGII concentration of the patients in the highest quartile of
IgG titer was twice the mean concentration of the patients in the lowest quartile (17.2 vs. 8.6 EIU, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS. Our results suggest that serum anti-H. pylori
IgG titer was associated positively with grade of histological
gastritis, mucosal bacterial density and concentrations of serum PGI, PGII and
gastrin-17, and negatively with PGI/II ratio.