RELATIONSHIP AMONG ACID-SECRETION, ANTRAL DISTENSION, AND LIQUID GASTRIC-EMPTYING IN ACTIVE AND HEALED DUODENAL-ULCER

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between fasting a ntral distension and basal and maximal acid output and to examine the link between the gastric emptying rate of liquids and the amount of ac id secretion. Twenty consecutive male patients with H. pylori-positive noncomplicated duodenal ulcer disease received a measurement of basal and maximal gastric acid secretion and underwent ultrasonographic (US ) evaluation of fasting antral distension and gastric emptying of liqu ids on two Separate days. Ten of these patients were studied again thr ee months after ulcer healing, The width of the fasting antral area wa s not correlated with basal acid output, but a significant relationshi p was found between maximal acid output and fasting antral distension (r = 0.55; P = 0.012). No significant correlations were found between gastric emptying and gastric acid output. The gastric emptying rate, e xpressed as half-time gastric emptying and remaining liquid component at 60 min, was not influenced by basal or maximal acid output, After u lcer healing, no correlations were found between acid secretion, fasti ng antral distension, and gastric emptying rate. Our results suggest t hat in duodenal ulcer patients, fasting antral distension is not influ enced by basal gastric secretion and that, on the contrary, a correlat ion exists between fasting antral distension and maximal acid output, but only in active duodenal ulcer. No relationship exists in both acti ve and healed duodenal ulcer between gastric emptying and gastric acid secretion.