[Peptic ulcer: clinico-endoscopic and biochemical aspects of the development and healing of the peptic defect].

The metabolism of collagen and glycoproteins bound with glycosaminoglycans was studied in 19 patients with a preulcerous condition (chronic primary gastroduodenitis) and in 49 patients with peptic ulcer of the stomach (12) and duodenum (37). The control groups comprised 12 practically healthy subjects (group I) and 20 patients with chronic secondary gastroduodenitis (group II). Based on the data obtained it is concluded that the high level of collagen metabolism in patients with chronic gastroduodenitis may be regarded as an early diagnostic criterion of the preulcerous condition. In patients with peptic ulcer, epithelization of the peptic defect controlled with the aid of studying the indicators of collagen formation should not be viewed as completed after clinico-endoscopic confirmation of the disease remission. There was a close correlation between the ulcerous crater area and the level of free hydroxyproline in gastric juice. High level of glycoproteins in patients with gastroduodenitis and peptic ulcer can be used as an additional criterion of the degree of the inflammatory reaction.