Autoimmune gastritis

Autoimmune gastritis (AIG) – this is a chronic atrophic gastritis, as it progresses, the acid production of the stomach decreases. In autoimmune gastritis, antibodies are detected in the blood to the parietal cells of the stomach, which are responsible for the synthesis of hydrochloric acid and the internal Castle factor, which is involved in the metabolism of vitamin B12.

The causes of the disease are still being studied. It is known that both genetic and environmental (external) factors play a certain role in the development of autoimmune gastritis.

This is usually an asymptomatic disease, which is most often detected with the progression of atrophy of the gastric mucosa and the development of iron deficiency or B12 deficiency anemia.

You can suspect the disease if the following symptoms occur:

• pain, feeling of heaviness and swelling in the upper abdomen;
• nausea after eating;
• reduced appetite;
• unpleasant taste in the mouth, belching rotten;
• diarrhea;
• signs of impaired absorption of vitamins and minerals – dryness, peeling of the skin, stomatitis, decreased vision, slow thinking, lethargy.

Autoimmune gastritis can be combined with other autoimmune diseases (vitiligo, alopecia, celiac disease, autoimmune hepatitis, type I diabetes). Most often, AIH is combined with autoimmune thyroiditis.

If one or more of these signs are detected, it is recommended to consult a doctor. The specialist will assess the situation and prescribe additional examinations (laboratory, endoscopic and morphological examinations).

With the long-term existence of AIH, atrophic changes in the gastric mucosa progress, which is associated with an increased risk of developing a neuroendocrine tumor or gastric adenocarcinoma.

In the Moscow Clinical Scientific and Practical Center named after A. S. Loginov, the tactics of managing patients with AIH are determined by gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, hematologists, and surgeons.

Do not delay your visit to the specialists of our Center. This will help to diagnose the disease in a timely manner and choose the right treatment tactics. Doctors of the Department of Pathology of the upper digestive tract of the State Medical Institution of the Moscow State Medical Center named after A. S. Loginov DZM are always ready to help you.