CHANGES IN MUCOSAL LEVELS OF TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-ALPHA FROM THE OXYNTIC REGION AND ULCER SITE DURING DUODENAL-ULCER HEALING WITH RANITIDINE OR SUCRALFATE

Changes in the levels of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in gastric mucosa during ulcer healing were studied in 24 patients wit h endoscopically confirmed duodenal ulcers, treated either with raniti dine (300 mg daily at night) or with sucralfate (2 g twice daily). End oscopic biopsies were taken from the gastric fundus and from the ulcer margin at baseline and after 7 - 10 days of treatment, TGF-alpha leve ls were determined by radioimmunoassay in paired samples from 22 patie nts (fundal) and 18 patients (duodenal). There were no significant cha nges in TGF-alpha levels in the fundus of the whole group or of either treatment group. At the ulcer site, however, there was a significant increase in TGF-alpha levels in the whole group (from 16.4 to 33 pg/mg protein (medians); P < 0.005), and an increasing trend was seen in bo th treatment groups but was statistically significant only in the grou p treated with sucralfate (P < 0.03).