The antral gastrin-producing cells in duodenal ulcer patients. Study of the relationship between G-cell density, gastric acid secretion and fasting serum-gastrin.

Examination of the antral G-cell density, acid secretion and fasting levels of serum-gastrin were carried out on 20 patients with prepyloric ulcer (within 2 cm of the pyloric ring) and 76 patients with duodenal bulb ulcer. No difference was found in respect to the G-cell density between the group of prepyloric and that with duodenal bulb ulcer, although a lower pentagastrin stimulated acid output and consequently a smaller parietal cell mass appeared to be present in the first group as compared to the second. No relationship was found in either group between fasting levels of serum-gastrin and G-cell density, suggesting that no constant relationship exists between G-cell density and activity under basal conditions. A positive relationship, although statistically insignificant (0.05 less than P less than 0.1) between peak acid output and G-cell density in patients with duodenal bulb ulcer, indicates that in these patients the parietal cell mass and G-cell density are interrelated. The present study could not confirm the entity of antral G-cell hyperplasia in duodenal ulcer patients.