SERUM PEPSINOGEN-I AND PEPSINOGEN-II, AND THE RATIO OF PEPSINOGEN-I PEPSINOGEN-II IN PEPTIC-ULCER DISEASES - WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE INFLUENCE OF THE LOCATION OF THE ULCER CRATER
Ms. Wu et al., SERUM PEPSINOGEN-I AND PEPSINOGEN-II, AND THE RATIO OF PEPSINOGEN-I PEPSINOGEN-II IN PEPTIC-ULCER DISEASES - WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE INFLUENCE OF THE LOCATION OF THE ULCER CRATER, Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology, 10(4), 1995, pp. 401-404
To investigate the effect of the location of the ulcer crater on the s
erum levels of pepsinogen I (PGI), pepsinogen II (PGII) and the ratio
of PGI/PGII, these parameters were determined in 161 healthy controls,
29 patients with gastric ulcer in the gastric body (GU-I), 65 with co
existent gastroduodenal ulcer (GU-II), 104 with gastric ulcer in the p
repyloric region (GU-III), and 116 with duodenal ulcer (DU). Serum PGI
levels were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in patients with GU-III (
110.6 +/- 65.1 ng/mL), GU-II (100.0 +/- 46.6 ng/mL), and DU (92.2 +/-
35.2 ng/mL) than in the controls (77.4 +/- 31.4 ng/mL), while there we
re no significant differences between GU-I (82.5 +/- 36.3 ng/mL) and t
he controls. Patients with gastric ulcer in any region had significant
ly higher (P < 0.01) serum PGII levels (GU-I, 20.0 +/- 15.7 ng/mL; GU-
II, 15.5 +/- 10.9 ng/mL; GU-III, 14.3 +/- 10.0 ng/mL) than the control
s (10.6 +/- 6.0 ng/mL) and the patients with DU (10.0 +/- 5.5 ng/mL),
whereas no significant differences existed between the latter two. The
ratio of PGI/PGII in GU-I (5.86 +/- 3.90) was significantly lower (P
< 0.01) than any other group (controls, 8.83 +/- 4.70; GU-II, 8.33 +/-
4.99; GU-III; 9.64 +/- 6.13; DU, 10.45 +/- 4.49), while patients with
DU it was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than any other groups. Thes
e findings indicate that peptic ulcer is comprised of a heterogeneous
group of diseases. A normal level of serum PGI, an increased level of
PGII, and a decreased ratio of PGI/PGII in GU-I patients reflected ext
ensive atrophic gastritis, while an elevated level of PGI, a normal le
vel of PGII, and an increased ratio of PGI/PGII in DU patients implica
ted hypersecretory status coexistent with superficial fundic gastritis
. These findings suggest functional heterogeneity of the gastric mucos
a according to the different locations of the ulcer crater.