ABSTRACT
The gastric mucosa is more susceptible to ulceration in the cholestasis, the cause of these changes are multifactorial. The aim of this work is to study the pathological changes in gastric mucosa in some patients with cholestasis. Thirty six subjects with ages ranged from 24-80 years old, were included in this study, and were classified into 3 groups: 12 subjects with intrahepatic cholestasis, another 12 subjects with extrahepatic cholestasis and 12 normal healthy control of matching ages and sex. All the subjects were subjected to full history taking, clinical examinations, all routine investigations, S. cholesterol and triglyceride abdominal ultrasonography, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and gastric biopcies for histopathological changes and ERCP [Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreaticography] for detecting biliary system diseases and treatment. We found that total bilirubin, ALT, AST and prothrombin time were more significantly increased in intrahepatic than in extrahepatic cholestasis while serum total cholesterol is more significantly increased in extrahepatic than intrahepatic cholestasis. Endoscopically there was significant difference of gastric mucosa changes between each of intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholestasis and control group except for atrophic gastritis which proved to be insignificant. As regard histopathological examination of gastric mucosa there was significant difference between each of intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholestasis and control group. Theses finding indicate the importance of early interference by ERCP in extrahepatic cholestasis to avoid the histopathological complications on the gastric mucosa