To induce the phenomenon of antral gastritis are the weakening of the mucus layer, which covers the internal surface of the gastric antrum, and the simultaneous erosive action, on the aforesaid surface, exerted by the acid juices necessary for the digestive process.
Among the main causes of antral gastritis (and of the upheavals just described), there are: infections caused by Helicobacter pylori, the abuse of common drugs such as NSAIDs, alcoholic substance abuse and excessive psychophysical stress.
To properly treat a condition such as antral gastritis, a "thorough diagnostic investigation is essential, which brings to light the triggering causes.
Brief review of the term Gastritis
In medicine, "gastritis" is the word for inflammation of the inner wall of the stomach.
Also known as the internal gastric mucosa, the internal wall of the stomach is the complex of cell layers responsible for:
- The production of acidic digestive juices, necessary for the digestive process;
- The secretion of mucus intended to protect the stomach from the aforementioned acid digestive juices;
- The production of the gastrin hormone.
Secretes protective mucus.
It has a dense network of glands, responsible for the production of acidic digestive juices.
It contains muscle cells, which guarantee the stomach the ability to move food towards the intestine and proceed with the digestive process.
The cardia corresponds to the valve that connects the stomach to the esophagus; the fundus is the upper left portion of the stomach, to the right of which there is the "cardia" just mentioned; the body is the largest portion of the stomach, extending immediately beyond under the fundus, finally, the pylorus is the terminal portion of the stomach, preceded by the aforementioned body and including the homonymous valve which regulates the passage of food towards the intestine;
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- Indeed, within the anatomical picture described above, the gastric antrum represents the initial part of the pylorus, immediately preceding the part of the latter called the pyloric canal and the valve of the same name.
Also known as the pyloric antrum, the gastric antrum stands out for being the most voluminous part of the pylorus and for being particularly rich in mucus and gastrin-producing cells.
In the light of what has just been stated, antral gastritis is the inflammation of the initial section of the gastric pylorus, a section that happens to be the gastric "bottom" and includes a large number of mucus and gastrin-producing cells.
internal part of the pyloric antrum, when the latter loses part of its protective mucus layer.Causal and Risk Factors of Antral Gastritis
Various factors can weaken the protective mucus layer of the gastric antrum and consequently cause / promote antral gastritis; specifically, the causes / risk factors of antral gastritis include:
- Infections sustained by Helicobacter pylori. Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium normally present inside the stomach (it tolerates its acidic environment very well) and has no health consequences. If, however, the immune defenses of the human organism lose their effectiveness, this microorganism is free to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and colonize its host, causing an infection.
Favored by cigarette smoking and high psychophysical stress, infection with Helicobacter pylori it is most likely the main causative factor of antral gastritis; - Prolonged and improper use of certain drugs, such as NSAIDs (eg aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.), chemotherapy drugs and colchicine.
- Prolonged alcohol abuse;
- A diet having the undesirable effect of elevating the acidity of the stomach. Such a diet generally consists in the excessive consumption of: fats, cooked oils, citrus fruits and coffee;
- Some viral infections, such as cytomegalovirus infections and AIDS;
- Some fungal infections, such as candidiasis (or candidiasis), histoplasmosis or zygomycosis;
- Some parasitic infections (or parasites), such as anisakiasis;
- A past history of radiation therapy to treat a tumor;
- Very intense stress. Stressful circumstances to the point of favoring antral gastritis are, just to name a few examples, major surgery, chronic diseases and serious injuries.
Stress-related forms of antral gastritis are examples of nervous gastritis; - Bile reflux. Biliary reflux is the ascent of bile from the duodenum to the stomach and, in the most severe cases, also to the esophagus;
- Autoimmune diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as Crohn's disease or pernicious anemia. Autoimmune diseases are morbid conditions characterized by an exaggerated and improper response of the immune system (in individuals with an autoimmune disease, components of the immune system attack tissues and organs perfectly healthy, causing even very serious damage);
- Food poisoning.
Types of Antral Gastritis
There are two forms of antral gastritis: a less severe form, called superficial antral gastritis (or non-erosive antral gastritis), and a more severe form, called erosive antral gastritis.
SUPERFICIAL ANTRAL (OR NON-EROSIVE) GASTRITIS
Superficial antral gastritis is the least severe form of antral gastritis; this condition represents, in fact, a suffering limited to the most superficial cells of the epithelium which constitutes the internal wall of the gastric antrum (remember that the aforementioned epithelium is the cellular layer in direct contact with the lumen of the stomach).
Relatively uncommon, superficial antral gastritis is usually a nuisance only after meals.
Did you know that ...
In addition to non-erosive antral gastritis, superficial antral gastritis is also known as catarrhal antral gastritis and simple antral gastritis.
EROSIVE ANTRAL GASTRITIS
Erosive antral gastritis is the most severe form of antral gastritis; as a result of its presence, in fact, it is possible to observe scar-like lesions (ulcers) on the inner wall of the gastric antrum as well as a significant decrease in the number of glands responsible for the production of digestive gastric juices.
Erosive antral gastritis is a clinically delicate condition and therefore requires appropriate treatment.
Did you know that ...
At the origin of most cases of erosive antral gastritis there is an infection with Helicobacter pylori.
of antral gastritis are:- Indigestion (or indigestion). It is the most characteristic manifestation of antral gastritis.
Its presence is the result of the inevitable interference that inflammation has towards the digestive process at the gastric level and the emptying of the stomach; - Stomach ache. To highlight this symptom is a pain localized in the upper part of the abdomen (epigastric pain or stomach pain), the intensity of which varies from patient to patient.
At the base of heartburn there is a noticeable increase in the levels of gastric acidity (or stomach acidity);
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- Nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. These are the three classic symptoms that accompany indigestion; therefore, they represent three fairly common disorders of antral gastritis.
Among these manifestations there is the following close relationship: nausea triggers vomiting and vomiting induces a decrease in appetite; - Flatulence and a sense of abdominal bloating and / or abdominal heaviness. Flatulence and abdominal bloating / heaviness depend, once again, on the bad digestive process; bad digestion, in fact, causes the food to pass to the intestine digested only in part and this causes its fermentation (which is the real cause of flatulence and a sense of bloating / abdominal heaviness);
- General malaise and a sense of weakness. They are the direct consequences of the previous symptoms.
Other Symptoms of Antral Gastritis
Sometimes, in addition to the aforementioned ailments, antral gastritis can also cause: irritability, hypotension, altered heart rhythms, paleness and a strange swelling / burning sensation in the tongue.
Complications of Antral Gastritis
In the most severe cases or in the absence of adequate treatments, antral gastritis can degenerate to the point of causing the formation of peptic perforating ulcers; in the medical field, perforating peptic ulcer is the expression that indicates any lesion of the digestive mucosa that has reached so deep that it has compromised the integrity of the underlying blood vessels and caused blood loss (gastrointestinal haemorrhage).
The classic manifestations of a perforating peptic ulcer are: persistent pain in the abdomen, black stools due to the presence of blood, blood loss from the rectum and vomiting with blood (haematemesis).
When to see a doctor?
An individual should contact their treating physician, when suffering from the above symptoms for more than a week.
In case of complications, it is a good idea to go immediately to the nearest medical-hospital center and undergo all the necessary treatments.
In doubtful circumstances and in any case when it is necessary to investigate the situation, doctors could prescribe, in addition to the previous tests, also the execution of an X-ray of the digestive system with a contrast agent with barium sulphate.
Why is accurate diagnosis and discovery of triggers important?
The accurate diagnosis of antral gastritis and the identification of the factors that caused it are fundamental to planning the most adequate and effective therapy.
against the aforementioned pathogen.
Symptomatic drug therapy
Medicines for the symptomatic therapy of antral gastritis are medicines for the control and limitation of gastric acidity.
Specifically, these drugs consist of:
- Antacids. They are useful for buffering gastric acidity and relieving heartburn, resulting from poor digestion.
Often, doctors associate them with the next two drug categories.
Examples of antacids classically used in the presence of antral gastritis are: magnesium hydrate and aluminum hydroxide. - Anti-H2 (or H2 receptor antagonists). They have the effect of reducing the stomach's production of acidic digestive juices.
A typical H2 blocker used in the context of antral gastritis is ranitidine. - Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). They act similarly to H2 blockers, so they reduce the production of acid secretions in the stomach.
The classic PPIs administered during the management of antral gastritis are omeprazole and lansoprazole.
Recommended Diet Plan
In the presence of antral gastritis, the foods to avoid are: fried foods (because they contain a high percentage of fat), fatty foods, citrus juices, coffee and alcohol; the recommended foods are: all vegetables, fruit (except citrus fruits, of course), low-fat food products, lean meats (e.g. chicken or turkey meat), pasta and rice (NB: pasta and rice prepared, obviously, in a "light" way).
In the context of antral gastritis, careful dietary control can have unexpected beneficial effects.
