NOCTURNAL GASTRIC SECRETION IN DUODENAL ULCER

Abstract

This report deals with 150 nocturnal gastric secretion studies performed on 38 normal persons (73 studies) and 29 patients with duodenal ulcer (77 studies), with particular attention being paid to "hypersecretion" and "hyperacidity" and their bearing on management of patients with duodenal ulcer. It is generally believed that patients with duodenal ulcer have a more copious secretion of gastric juice (hypersecretion) of a higher hydrochloric acid concentration (hyperacidity) than normal persons of the same sex and age. Both clinicians and surgeons usually focus their attention on this hypersecretion-hyperacid factor in the management of patients with duodenal ulcer. Indeed, a number of gastroenterologists and gastric surgeons, believing that the hypersecretionhyperacid factor is chiefly responsible for the pathogensis of both the duodenal ulcer and the postoperative jejunal ulcer, have recommended new ways and means of combating or eliminating this factor. Palmer and Templeton¹ believe that the "excessive continued night secretion" plays