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Research Article: Impact of kimura-takemoto atrophy classification on first-line H. pylori eradication: a retrospective cohort study

Date Published: 2026-06-19

Abstract:
We sought to determine whether the endoscopic grade of gastric atrophy (according to Kimura-Takemoto) affects the likelihood of successful first-line H. pylori eradication. We conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients hospitalized at Wuhan Fourth Hospital between November 2021 and November 2025. Eligible individuals had a positive urea breath test confirming H. pylori infection, were diagnosed with chronic atrophic gastritis via gastroscopy, received a bismuth-containing quadruple regimen as first-line therapy, and returned for a follow-up breath test at least 4 weeks post-treatment. Prior to therapy (within 28 days), each patient underwent high-definition white-light gastroscopy. Two independent endoscopists, unaware of patient allocation, retrospectively reviewed all images to grade atrophy using the Kimura-Takemoto system. Patients were assigned to either the closed-type (C-type) or open-type (O-type) atrophy group. The primary endpoint was eradication failure, defined as a positive follow-up breath test. Logistic regression (univariate and multivariate) was used to identify factors independently linked to treatment failure. A total of 154 patients completed follow-up and were included. The overall eradication rate was 76.6% (118/154). In the open-type atrophy group ( n = 26), the eradication rate was only 42.3% (11/26), significantly lower than the 83.6% (107/128) observed in the closed-type group ( P < 0.001). After adjusting for confounders such as body weight and age, multivariate analysis revealed that endoscopic open-type atrophy was independently associated with eradication failure (OR = 8.287, 95% CI: 3.150–21.804, P < 0.001). The extent of endoscopic gastric mucosal atrophy independently predicts a lower efficacy of first-line H. pylori eradication. For patients with Kimura-Takemoto open-type atrophy, clarithromycin-containing quadruple regimens should be used cautiously. Alternative clarithromycin-free regimens (e.g., tetracycline-, metronidazole-, or levofloxacin-based therapies, or high-dose amoxicillin with PPI/vonoprazan) or susceptibility-guided individualized therapy are recommended in clinical practice.

Introduction:
Helicobacter pylori infection is a globally common chronic bacterial condition and represents the most significant modifiable risk factor for chronic active gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and gastric cancer ( 1 – 4 ). Therefore, successful eradication is essential to halt the progression of these diseases. However, eradication success is influenced by a complex interplay of bacterial factors (e.g., primary antibiotic resistance) and host characteristics ( 5 – 7…

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