Jp. Gisbert et al., BASAL PEPSINOGEN-I LEVELS AND HELICOBACTE R-PYLORI INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH DUODENAL-ULCER AND NORMAL ENDOSCOPY, Revista espanola de enfermedades digestivas, 88(1), 1996, pp. 3-8
Aim: To study basal pepsinogen I levels in patients with duodenal ulce
r and in subjects with normal endoscopy, depending on Helicobacter pyl
ori status. Methods: One-hundred and one patients with duodenal ulcer
and 74 controls with normal endoscopy were studied. Mean age and gende
r distribution were: 46 vs 42 years, and 74% vs 43% males, respectivel
y, At endoscopy biopsies from the gastric antrum and body were obtaine
d for histologic (H&E) and microbiologic (Gram and culture) study. Bas
al levels of serum pepsinogen I were measured (RIA).Results: Among the
subjects with a normal endoscopy, those with H. pylori infection had
higher pepsinogen I levels (m +/- SD) than non-infected patients (77 /- 27 vs 62 +/- 28 ng/ml; p< 0.05). Basal levels in duodenal ulcer pat
ients were 107 +/- 38 ng/ml, higher (p< 0.001) than in the group with
normal endoscopy (both with and without H. pylori). In multivariate an
alysis pepsinogen I levels were correlated with H. pylori infection (r
egression coef.= 17; SE= 8.1), duodenal ulcer (regr. coef.= 22; SE= 5.
8) and smoking habit (regr. coef.= 24; SE= 5.2). Conclusion: Basal pep
sinogen I levels were significantly higher in duodenal ulcer patients
than in H. pylori infected subjects with normal endoscopy. The lowest
levels corresponded to non-infected patients. Therefore, an additional
factor other than H. pylori infection is likely involved in the hiper
pepsinogenaemia classically reported in duodenal ulcer patients.