EFFECT OF AGE ON GASTRIC, ACID, PEPSIN, PEPSINOGEN GROUP-A AND GASTRIN-SECRETION IN PEPTIC-ULCER PATIENTS

To verify the effect of age on gastric secretions in gastric (GU) and duodenal ulcer (DU) patients, we carried out a retrospective study eva luating basal and stimulated gastric acid secretion in 427 peptic ulce r subjects aged between 12 and 73 years (GU = 74, DU = 353) in additio n to studying gastric juice pepsin, serum pepsinogen group A (PCA) and gastrin in 175 patients (GU = 28, DU = 147). All subjects were then d ivided into groups according to their sex and age (<30, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 and >60 years). Basal, maximal and peak acid outputs (BAG, MAO, PAO) were unchanged in the various age groups, though MAO and PAO were higher in males than females and in DU than in those with GU, even in the elderly (>60 years). Pepsin and gastrin levels were unchanged at the various ages in GU and DU, while PGA was higher in males with DU a ged 50 or over. This demonstrates that acid, pepsin and gastrin secret ions do not change with age in ulcer patients. Acid secretion retains its typical distribution according to pathology (DU > GU) and sex (mal es > females), and also appears to have a fundamental pathogenetic rol e in peptic ulcer in the elderly.