Maximum acid output in duodenal ulcer patients with different length of history and controls without dyspepsia.

Recent studies suggest a normal maximum acid secretion in duodenal ulcer patients with a history of less than three years, but an increase of secretion in those with longer history. The validity of this hypothesis was investigated in groups of patients with operatively verified duodenal ulcer and history for less than 3, 3--6, and 7--10 years. Each group, including 21 men and nine women, was compared to two male and one female group of age-matched controls without dyspepsia. In smaller groups of 16 men it was possible to compare age-matched groups from a population of 376 men with histories for up to 22 years. Finally, 11 men with an ulcer history of less than one year were compared to 11 controls. All subjects had measurements of MAO by the augmented histamine test. MAO was significantly higher in patients with a history less than one year and less than three years, respectively, compared to controls. After correction of MAO for weight or lean body mass the difference remained significant in men, but not in the smaller groups of women. MAO in men with a history of from less than three up to 22 years did not show any maximum. Thus, the study did not support the assumption that gastric hypersecretion is a result of duodenal ulceration.