What causes chronic gastritis?
Secretion of acid in the stomach is reduced in both type A and type B gastritis, which contributes to the inflammatory process that causes the disorders. There is no good evidence that the acute injury to the gastric mucosa, which is associated with stress or with alcohol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, leads to chronic gastritis. Acute gastritis caused by H. pylori may lead to type B chronic gastritis over time. How is chronic gastritis diagnosed? The most reliable means of diagnosing, identifying and classifying chronic gastritis is through biopsy of the gastric mucosa. This involves using a flexible fibre-optic endoscope to view the inside of the stomach. A small sample of the mucosa is then clipped off, stained histologically and then examined under a microscope.
