It is the appearance of cells within the epithelium of the gastric mucosa that resemble the intestinal mucosa, mostly seen in various gastric diseases. ++++ indicates that the area of chemosis accounts for more than 2/3 of the total surface epithelial area of the glandular whole.
For normal individuals, the surface of the gastric mucosa is gastric mucosal epithelial cells with gastric acid-secreting function, whereas the surface of the intestine is distributed with intestinal mucosal epithelial cells with absorptive and secretory functions. If the gastric mucosa is damaged, it will be structurally altered, and the tissue that should grow on the surface of the intestine will grow on the surface of the gastric mucosa, which is called “intestinal metaplasia”.
This is the name of a group of pathologies that are caused by H. pylori infection, long-term poor diet, and long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-infective drugs.
Intestinal metaplasia can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe, with mild being +, moderate being ++, and severe being ++++, with severe metaplasia indicating that 2/3 of the glandular ducts are occupied by enteroplasmic cells.
This condition needs to be taken seriously and treated with the necessary medications as prescribed by the physician, and the progression of the disease should be slowed by avoiding tobacco and alcohol stimulation and by not eating foods that are too acidic or too spicy.