Abstract: Objective  To explore the value of Kawamura classification in evaluating H.pylori infection,gastric mucosal inflammation and atrophy.Methods  The gastric pit crypt openings(COs) in the greater and lesser curvatures of the upper gastric corpus of 71 patients with H.pylori infection were observed under the magnifying endoscopy and divided into “white-edged dark spot” type,“white” type and “dense white pit(DWP)” type according to the COs.Then the pathological biopsy was taken.The patients were received H.pylori eradicaton therapy.After 6 months,65 cases of successfully eradicated patients were performed the gastroscope.The distribution of three types in pre-treatment and post-treatment were compared.The distribution of three types in different degrees of gastric mucosal inflammation activity and atrophy were compared.Results  The distribution of the three types in post-treatment was significantly different with that in pre-treatment(P<0.001).The “white” type was dominated in pre-treatment and the “white-edged dark spot” type was dominated in post-treatment.The degree of inflammation was sequentially increased by “white-edged dark spot” type,“white” type,and “DWP” type,and there were significant differences in the distribution between every two groups(P<0.001).There were no significant differences in the distribution of Kawamura types between different degrees of atrophy(P>0.05).Conclusion The Kawamura classification is useful to determine H.pylori infection and evaluate thegastric mucosal inflammatory activity,but there is no significant advantage in the evaluation of atrophy.

Key words: Heiliobacter pylori, Magnifying endoscopy, Kawamura classification, Pit crypt openings