OBJECTIVE -Approximately 15-20% of type 1 diabetic patients exhibit parietal cell antibodies (PCAs) targeting gastric H ϩ /K ϩ ATPase. We examined whether iron deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia, and autoimmune gastritis, which may predispose to gastric tumors, were more frequent in PCA ϩ than in PCA -patients. RESULTS -Autoimmune gastritis (AG) was present in 57% of PCA ϩ and 10% of PCA -cases (OR 12.5, P Ͻ 0.0001). PCA positivity ( ϭ 1.44; P ϭ 0.04) and hypergastrinemia ( ϭ 0.01; P ϭ 0.026), but not HP, age, diabetes duration, sex, and HLA-DQ type were risk factors for AG. Iron deficiency anemia (OR 3.9, P ϭ 0.015), pernicious anemia (OR ϭ 4.6, P ϭ 0.022), and hypochlorhydria (OR ϭ 20.0, P ϭ 0.0002) were more frequent in AG ϩ individuals. HP infection was present in 47 patients but did not influence corpus histology or gastrinemia. (Pre)malignant lesions were found in 26% of PCA ϩ subjects: ECL cell hyperplasia in 7 AG ϩ patients, comprising 1 with a gastric carcinoid tumor, and corpus intestinal metaplasia in 11 AG ϩ patients, including 1 with linitis plastica.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
CONCLUSIONS -PCAϩ type 1 diabetic patients should be screened for autoimmune gastritis, iron deficiency, and pernicious anemia. Particularly hypergastrinemic PCA ϩ patients with autoimmune gastritis are at increased risk for (pre)malignant gastric lesions.