Serum gestrin in Chinese patients with peptic ulcer.

Fasting serum gastrin was determined in 30 Chinese patients with duodenal ulcer, 43 Chinese patients with gastric ulcer, 23 Chinese control subjects, 14 European control subjects and ten Indian control subjects. Basal and pentagastrin-stimulated peak acid outputs were also determined in the Chinses patients with duodenal or gastric ulceration. The mean (+/- SD) basal serum gastric level for Chinese controls and Chinese patients with duodenal and gastric ulcer were 24-6 pg/ml (+/- 13.7 pg/ml), 18-5 pg/ml (+/- 8-9 pg/ml), and 33-9 pg/ml (+/- 27-7 pg/ml), respectively. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference between the Chinese control subjects and the Chinese patients with duodenal or gastric ulcer, but the mean fasting serum gastrin level of Chinese gastric ulcer patients was significantly higher than that of Chinese duodenal ulcer patients. Comparison of the mean fasting serum gastrin level of the Chinese, European, and Indian control subjects showed no significant difference. Statistical analysis also showed no significant correlation between fasting serum gastrin level and both basal and peak acid outputs, in Chinese patients with duodenal or gastric ulcer.