A study of the relationship between serum group I pepsinogen levels and gastric acid secretion.

Serum group I pepsinogen (PG I) levels, basal acid output, and peak acid output (PAO) have been determined in 120 patients, 54 with duodenal ulcer, 14 with prepyloric ulcer, 12 with gastric ulcer, and 40 without ulcer. The correlation between serum PG I and PAO was statistically significant (r = 0.736, P less than 0.001) up to a serum PG I level of 250 ng per ml. Serum PG I levels above 250 ng per ml were associated with a plateau in the PAO. Each of 8 patients with a serum PG I of less than 40 ng per ml had a PAO of less than 10 mEq per hr. Of 34 patients with a serum PG I over 200 ng per ml, 29 (85.3%) had a PAO of greater than 40 mEq per hr and all had a PAO above 34 mEq per hr. Of 51 patients with a serum PG I between 60 and 150 ng per ml, 47 (92.2%) had a PAO of between 10 and 40 mEq per hr. The results indicate that a significant relationship exists between the concentration of PG I in serum and the acid secretory capacity of the gastric mucosa.