Sex Age (years) Anti-H. pylori IgG titer (U/ml) ABC method Endoscopic gastric mucosal atrophy RUT Culture PCR M 75 <3 D O-II P N P F 64 <3 D C-II ND N P F 66 <3 D O-III P N P F 74 <3 D O-III P N P M 72 3 D O-III P N P M 74 4 D O-III P N P M 75 4 D O-III N N P M 81 4 D O-III N N P M 81 4 D O-III N N P M 74 5 D O-III P N P F 67 5 D O-III N N P M 70 6 D O-III P P P M 67 8 D O-I P N P M 62 9 D O-I N N P M 74 9 D O-III N N P M 41 <3 A C-III P N P M 54 <3 A O-I N N P M 70 <3 A O-III P N P M 87 3 A O-I P N N M 76 4 A O-I P N P F 41 5 A O-I N N P F 62 7 A C-III P N P F 66 7 A O-I P N P M 48 8 A C-III P P P M 71 8 A O-II P N N F 27 9 A C-II N N P

Table 3: Clinical characteristics of the Hp+/IgG- group. Hp+/IgG-, infected with H. pylori but negative for anti-H. pylori IgG antibody; RUT, rapid urease test; M, male; F, female; P, positive; N, negative; ND, no data.