Helicobacter pylori is the most frequent cause of antral gastritis type B. Little is known about the affection of the gastric cardia by inflammation associated with H. pylori infection. Objective: Assess the status of morphological changes of the cardia in the presence of H. pylori infection in patients with non-ulcer dyspesia. Methods and patients: 251 consecutive dyspeptic patients with H.pylori infection were subjected to endoscopic examination of the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract. Six biopsies were taken (2 antrum, 2, corpus, 2 cardia) for histological (HaE) and microscopic (Giemsa) status, scored according to the Sydney classification. Results: Chronic inflammation and its activity reached similar values in the antrum and cardia, the difference was not statistically significant (p >0.05). The findings of H.pylori and intestinal metaplasia (IM) were higher in the antrum than in the cardia (p <0.05) similarly as atrophy and hyperplasia of lymphatic tissue (p <0.01). Significantly higher values were recorded in chronic inflammation, its activity and number of HP in the antrum (p <0.001). The same applies to atrophy, IM, lymphoid follicles (p<0.01),dysplasia and hyperplasia of lymphatic tissue (p <0.05). Conversely chronic inflammation, activity and HP in the cardia were significantly higher than in the corpus (p <0.001), similarly IM and lymphoid follicles (p <0.01), atrophy and dysplasia (p <0.05). Conclusion:The incidence of carditis and antral gastritis associated with H.pylori infection was equally expressed and reached a higher score than corporal gastritis. Inflammatory infiltration of the cardia may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of non-ulcer dyspepsia. Abbreviations: GIT - gastrointestinal tract, GF - gastrofibroscopy, HP - Helicobacter pylori, NUD - non-ulcer dyspepsia, H+E - Haematoxylin and eosin, CI - chronic inflammation, LF - lymhoid follicles, IM - intestinal metaplasia, HF - hyperplasia of the foveolae, Dys - dysplasia, HLT - lymphatic tissue hyperplasia, MALT-Ly - mucosa associated lymphoid tissue -lymphoma

        Key words: Carditis - Antral gastritis - Corporal gastritis - Helicobacter pylori