Mucosal secretion of the duodenum in peptic ulcer disease.

Mucosal secretin content of the duodenum was measured using bioptic specimen in healthy controls and patients of peptic ulcer. Immunoreactive secretin in the duodenal mucosa was found greater in healthy controls (7.73 +/- 2.71 ng/mg dry wt., mean +/- S.D.) than in gastric ulcer patients (5.76 +/- 3.51 ng/mg dry wt.) and duodenal ulcer patients (5.54 +/- 2.48 ng/mg dry wt.), but the difference was not significant. There was no significant relationship between mucosal secretin and acid output in these patients.