Maximum Acid Output in Duodenal Ulcer Patients with Different Length of History and Controls without Dyspepsia

Abstract

Recent studies suggest a normal maximum acid secretion in duodenal ulcer patients with a history of < 3 yr, but an increase of secretion in those with a longer history. The validity of this hypothesis was investigated in groups of patients with operatively verified duodenal ulcer and history for < 3, 3-6, and 7-10 yr. Each group, including 21 men and 9 women, was compared to 2 male and 1 female group of age-matched controls without dyspepsia. In smaller groups of 16 men comparisons were made of age-matched groups from a population of 376 men with histories for up to 22 yr. Finally, 11 men with an ulcer history of < 1 yr were compared to 11 controls. All subjects had measurements of maximum acid (MAO) by the augmented histamine test. MAO was significantly higher in patients with a history < 1 yr and < 3 yr, respectively, compared to controls. After correction of MAO for weight or lean body mass the differences remained significant in men, but not in the smaller groups of women. MAO in men with a history of from < 3 up to 22 yr did not show any maximum. The study did not support the assumption that gastric hypersecretion is a result of duodenal ulceration.