Studies of Gastric Pepsin. Ii. Secretion of Pepsin in Cases of Duodenal Ulcer and Pseudo-Ulcer

A Study of Gastric Pepsin in Various Diseases

“…Thus in cases of pernicious anemia, where the acidity is very low, the juice might show no peptic activity as found in the stomach but when analyzed as above shows appreciable amounts of pepsin. These facts may also explain why the range of values in our cases do not vary as much as those of other workers (4). A fairly accurate idea of the activity of any given juice in vivo can be obtained after considering the acidity and the amount of pepsin present.…”

The Role of Pepsin, Peptic Inhibitory Substances, and Hydrochloric Acid in Normal Subjects and in the Production of Peptic Ulcers 1

“…It is noteworthy that our findings of similar total pepsin concentrations in the normals and in ulcer patients are at variance with the reports of other investigators (10,11,12). A criticism that might be made of our findings is the relative smallness of the series; However, the number of cases studied is statistically adequate.…”

“…A criticism that might be made of our findings is the relative smallness of the series; However, the number of cases studied is statistically adequate. VWe feel that the findings of others quoted ( 10,12) may be open to criticism on the basis of error inherent in their method of pepsin determination, as mentioned previously. Vanzant et al (10) and Mullins and Flood (11) both used low dilutions of gastric juice, which resulted in the assay, not of total pepsin, but of a variable mixture of pepsin and pepsininhibitor complex.…”

“…VWe feel that the findings of others quoted ( 10,12) may be open to criticism on the basis of error inherent in their method of pepsin determination, as mentioned previously. Vanzant et al (10) and Mullins and Flood (11) both used low dilutions of gastric juice, which resulted in the assay, not of total pepsin, but of a variable mixture of pepsin and pepsininhibitor complex. Both also obtained their gastric specimens after test meal stimulation.…”

“…Vanzant, Osterberg, Alvarez, and Rivers (10) have shown that the secretion of pepsin is enhanced in ulcer patients as compared with normal individuals and that a direct correlation existed between the amount of pepsin in gastric juice and the severity of symptoms. Mullins and Flood (11) and others (12) have confirmed these observations.…”