Vitamin B12 deficiency and gastric histopathology in older patients

Table 1 Histopathology: Definitions

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG): more extensive inflammation accompanied by glandular atrophy. CAG further subdivided into mild, moderate and severe based on atrophy involving the upper one-third, upper two-thirds and full thickness of the mucosa respectively

Chronic superficial gastritis (CSG): inflammation limited to the foveolar region unaccompanied by glandular atrophy. (Figures 1B-D)

Gastric atrophy (GA): thinning of the mucosa with an absence of inflammatory changes

Hyperplasia: an increase in the number of mucosal epithelial cells

Metaplastic changes:

Intestinal metaplasia characterized by goblet cells, brush border cells, Paneth cells and endocrine cells. (Figures 1B and 1C)

Pyloric metaplasia of the fundus characterized by mucus secreting glands