title: Pattern of 24 hour intragastric acidity in active duodenal ulcer disease and in healthy controls.
abstract: Twenty four hour intragastric acidity was measured by continuous recording using intragastric combined glass electrodes in 46 duodenal ulcer patients within 48 hours of endoscopic confirmation of active ulceration. Acidity during predefined time periods was compared with that measured in 40 healthy controls without gastrointestinal disease: it was significantly higher in duodenal ulcer patients at all times, but 25% of ulcer patients had median 24 hour acidity within the interquartile range of the normal group. During the evening (18,00 to 22,00 h) ulcer patients had considerable acidity with a median of 39.8 (63.1-31.6) mmol/l (interquartile range) compared with 5.6 (22.3-0.4) mmol/l of controls. It is suggested that antisecretory treatment be directed to decrease this period of unbuffered acidity, as well as during the night, which is presently considered of prime importance.
authors.affiliation: DRK Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology, Berlin, FRG.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Merki
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Fimmel
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Walt
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harre
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Röhmel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Witzel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged