Immunoreactive-somatostatin, substance P, and calcitonin gene-related peptide concentrations of the human gastric mucosa in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia and peptic ulcer disease.

Changes in immunoreactive (ir)-somatostatin, substance P, and calcitonin gene-related peptide concentrations of the human gastric mucosa were examined in subjects with nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD) and peptic ulcer to clarify the relationship between these peptides and dyspeptic symptoms. Fifty-six patients with NUD were divided into two subject subgroups as follows: 22 patients with upper abdominal discomfort, nausea, and/or vomiting (motility disorder group) and 34 patients complaining of upper abdominal pain [ulcer-like disorder (UD) group]. These patients were compared with either an age- and sex-matched group of asymptomatic outpatients without any organic disease (control group: n = 51), or to a group with peptic ulcer (PU group: n = 30). Ir-somatostatin concentrations of the gastric mucosa were significantly higher in UD group than in PU, motility disorder, or control group, and ir-substance P concentrations in the UD group were higher than in the PU group. No difference in ir-calcitonin gene-related peptide concentrations was observed among the four groups. These results indicate that there may be two distinct subgroups in NUD, and that NUD is not just a stage within the spectrum of peptic ulcer disease from the viewpoint of several gastrointestinal-hormone concentrations of the human gastric mucosa.