Gastric Acid Secretion in Chronic Uraemia and after Renal Transplantation

Abstract

In 45 patients with chronic uraemia the basal acid output was the same as in 22 controls. Maximal acid output in uraemic patients was less than in the controls but not significantly so. In uraemia the maximal acid output was directly related to the duration of uraemia and inversely related to both haemoglobin level and age; it was not related to the height of the blood urea. Neutralization of gastric acid by ammonia probably occurred in the basal juice, but not when acid secretion was maximally stimulated. The presence of secondary hyperparathyroidism was associated with a 50% increase in the maximal acid output, but the increase may have been due to the younger age of this group. Successful renal transplantation was followed in two out of seven patients by a considerable increase in acid output and both patients showed evidence of peptic ulceration.