The study population consisted of 81 selected dyspeptic patients (mean age, 64.8 +/- 0.7 years; M:F, 43:38) who underwent diagnostic gastroscopy. At least four biopsy specimens were taken from the antrum and corpus of the stomach (two specimens from each site) for histological diagnosis. Blood samples for ELISA assays of serum pepsinogen I (PGI), pepsinogen II (PGII) and IgG antibodies against Helicobacter pylori (Hp IgG) were drawn after endoscopy. Cut-off points were calculated using receiver operating curves (ROC).