FIG. 2.

The relationship between Le^y expression on H. pylori strains and inflammation in the duodenum. H. pylori strains (the best growing strain from each DU patient) isolated from the duodenum of DU patients (filled symbols) and AS (open symbols). Five patients with Le^y-positive H. pylori strains who had been treated with antiulcer medication (from 1 week to 2 months prior to gastroscopy) were excluded from the analysis, since such treatments have been shown to lower the activity of chronic gastritis as well as to significantly decrease the accumulation of inflammatory infiltrates and release of toxic products in the antrum of DU patients and AS (31). The highest score of duodenitis of several duodenal biopsy specimens collected from the duodenum in the same subject is shown on the vertical axis. Lines indicate average values for each group. Le^y type of the H. pylori strain in the duodenum was related to increased numbers of neutrophils in the duodenum (P < 0.05, Fisher's exact test).