Autoimmune gastritis: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Such an inflammatory disease of the stomach, as an autoimmune gastritis, is rare, it is detected only in 10% of the population. The disease is genetic in nature and occurs under certain conditions. What exactly - science has not yet been clearly established. It can only be noted that the provoking factors are advanced age and malnutrition. Consider the characteristic symptoms of this disease, its diagnosis and treatment.

How does this pathological process proceed?

The digestive system of a person with this disease begins to eat itself. In other words, the immune system, producing specific antibodies, destroys the normal cells that make up the gastric mucosa. This leads to a decrease in the acidity of the gastric juice, the food stops digesting and its decay begins, and the beneficial substances are not absorbed into the tissues or into the general bloodstream. A person, having eaten food, feels a strong pain in the lower abdomen. Because of this, he ceases to eat anything, and after a while develops dystrophy and anorexia.

Causes

For what reason does a person develop such a pathology? Scientists tend to believe that the disorder of immunity is hereditary in nature. In addition, autoimmune gastritis can cause infection in the body, for example, cytomegalovirus, herpes, as well as the hardest Epstein-Barr virus. The causative agent of such infection is introduced not only into the tissue, but also into the internal organs, causing the immunity to destroy the gastrointestinal tract. In any case, the cause of the occurrence of such a disease is established individually.

Symptoms

The characteristic symptoms of pathology are manifested as follows:

• Bloating;
• Lethargy and severe fatigue;
• An unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth ;
• loss of appetite;
• The person notices that he is gurgling in his stomach;
• Heartburn, belching, mild nausea, constipation or diarrhea;
• Severe sweating, dizziness;
• Pallor of the skin;
• Thinning of nails.

In addition, a clear sign of autoimmune gastritis is nervousness, irritability, emotionality. This is explained by the fact that the body begins to lack the vitamins B12 and B9, resulting in anemia and neurological disorders.

Such symptoms do not occur immediately at the time of the development of the disease and can manifest themselves both together and separately.

Diagnostics

For treatment to be effective, it is very important to put an accurate diagnosis on time. Many in this case are referred to the gastroenterological center, in which the following diagnostic measures are carried out:

• Fibrogastroduodenoscopy with biopsy. At an early stage of the development of the disease, the mucosal edema, its hyperemia, the presence of ulcers and erosions are revealed. If the disease has become chronic, the mucous membrane of the stomach becomes pale, atrophic, with small areas of degeneration of the cells of the epithelium.
• X-ray of the stomach, esophagus and duodenum.
• Immunological examination of blood, because in 30% of patients, autoimmune disorders are detected in other organs.
• Sensing the stomach, which determines the acidity of the fluid of this organ and the presence of Helicobacter.
• Carrying out a polymerase chain reaction, which allows to determine the constituent DNA of viruses in the patient's fluids and tissues. In 7.1% of patients with autoimmune gastritis, the presence of the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis, is detected.
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity organs. In 80% of cases, patients have an enlarged liver with a change in its structure, 17% of patients have an enlarged spleen, sometimes they show an increase and compaction of peripheral lymph nodes.

Who prescribes treatment?

Usually, if a patient turns to the gastroenterological center, two specialists - an immunologist and a gastroenterologist - are examined and treated further.

The immunologist determines at what stage of development this disease is and how it is possible to suspend further destruction of the gastrointestinal tract.

The gastroenterologist carries out therapeutic measures for the damaged mucous membrane of the stomach, appoints the appropriate treatment, with the help of which the function of the gastrointestinal tract, disturbed during the development of the disease, is restored.

Treatment method

If autoimmune gastritis is diagnosed , treatment should be individual. It depends on the form of the disease, the stage of development, the expressed symptoms and the changes that have occurred in other organs. Treatment should be aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease, as well as the fight against Helicobacter and viral infection, changes in the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Basic principles of treatment

If an autoimmune gastritis is detected, the patient should adhere to a special diet. In this case, it is necessary to exclude from the diet cold and hot food, which must be mechanically, thermally and chemically sparing. Under the ban, sharp, salty, spicy, fried foods. The diet should be protein (including steamed fish or skimmed boiled meat), containing vitamins and fiber (jellies, cereals, mousses, dairy products, wiped or boiled fruits and vegetables). You can not use coffee, sweet dishes, cakes, tea, cakes, sweets. Food should be taken only in a warm form.

If the patient suffers from severe pain, the doctor prescribes anticholinergics (Metacin, Platifillin), spasmolytic drugs (Papaverin, No-shpa), as well as drugs aimed at reducing the motor activity of the intestines and stomach (Cerucal, "Motilium").

To improve the condition of the gastric mucosa, the following drugs are prescribed: "Venter", "Bismuth", "Plantaglucid", and to reduce acidity - Almagel, Ranitidine and others.

With pronounced mucosal atrophy, substitution therapy is prescribed: "Abomin", "Mezim", "Atsidin-pepsin", "Panzinorm", "Pankurmen", preparations that cleanse the intestinal microflora, multivitamins.

If there is such a need, then antimicrobial and antiviral drugs should be taken. Only according to the indications, phytotherapy, massage, exercise therapy, physiotherapy, reflexotherapy, balneotherapy are carried out.

Also, many patients use traditional medicine to alleviate the condition. Autoimmune gastritis, some are treated with plantain juice and natural sea-buckthorn oil, but in any case, therapy should be carried out only under the supervision of a doctor.

Possible complications

If the disease does not begin to be treated in a timely manner, the atrophy of the mucous membrane will only progress, and the symptoms will intensify. As a result, there may be adenocarcinoma. Also, negligent attitude towards health leads to iron deficiency anemia and polyhypovitaminosis.

Conclusion

Thus, if a person suddenly notices that gurgling in the stomach, heartburn, bad breath and other strange manifestations of the body, he should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Often this indicates the development of autoimmune gastritis, untimely treatment of which leads to severe complications.