21.   Gastric metaplasia was defined as the occurrence of foci of gastric epithelial cells containing apical PAS positive neutral mucin together with the absence of a brush border.

22.   Logistic regression analysis showed no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of gastric metaplasia in different age groups, between sexes, and H pylori state.

23.   In some cases gastric metaplasia was only seen at the tips of villi.

24.   No relation between the extent of gastric metaplasia and the presence or absence of H pylori could be shown.

25.   Gastric metaplasia seemed to be significantly more extensive in patients with microscopic evidence of chronic or active duodenitis in comparison with histologically normal mucosa.

26.   During the period of follow up, no significant decrease of the median extent of gastric metaplasia occurred in both groups.

27.   Again, the Mann-Whitney U test showed no significant change in the mean extent of gastric metaplasia in both groups.

28.   A limited extent of gastric metaplasia was also found in three patients who had had highly selective vagotomy in the past.

29.   In these patients the extent of gastric metaplasia hardly changed.

30.   Only in two cases was a difference of more than one grade in the extent of gastric metaplasia found.