Abstract

Maximal gastric secretion was induced in 122 control subjects (without peptic ulcer) and 201 preoperative duodenal ulcer patients by intravenous histamine acid phosphate (130 nmol/kg/h), and measured as Vg (ml/h) and MAO (mmol/h). In both groups, men secreted more than women, and smokers secreted more than non-smokers. Significant correlations were found between maximal gastric secretion on the one hand, and height, age, and chronic smoking on the other. After standardisation for these factors, including standardisation to zero smoking, the subgroups of the controls no longer differed significantly, as was also the case for the duodenal ulcer patients. Thus, differences in height, age, and smoking habit were sufficient to account for the variation in maximal secretion between individuals in either the control or duodenal ulcer groups. Even after standardisation, however, the duodenal ulcer patients still secreted significantly more than the controls, and therefore, although chronic smoking has been shown to affect maximal gastric secretion, it does not appear to be the sole reason for hypersecretion in duodenal ulcer patients.