MUCOSAL MEASUREMENTS AND GASTRIC SECRETION IN GASTRITIS

Fifty-nine suction biopsies were obtained with a Crosby-Kugler's biopsy capsule from the fundus or the body of the stomach in 22 women and 37men with dyspepsia. In none of them were peptic ulcers or gastric tumors found by gastroscopy and X-ray examination of the stomach and duodenal cap. Mucosal measurements were performed in the correctly orientated haematoxylin and eosin stained histological sections. The volume rate and concentration and output of total HCl were determined in the gastric juice before as well as after subcutaneous injection of 0.05 mg histamine-phosphate per kg body weight. One-third of the patients had normal gastric mucosa, one-third superficial gastritis and one-third atrophic gastritis. Their average age was 50, 55, and 61 years, respectively. In the patients with superficial gastritis a significantly increased thickness of the foveolar layer was found, whereas the glandular layer thickness and the secretion of gastric juice and hydrochloric acid were not significantly altered. In the patients with atrophic gastritis a further significantly increased thickness of the foveolar layer was observed. These patients also showed a significantly reduced thickness of the glandular layer and a significantly decreased secretion of gastric juice and hydrochloric acid. © 1968 Informa UK Ltd.