Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in patients with duodenal ulcer lowers basal and peak acid outputs to gastrin releasing peptide and pentagastrin

Background-Patients with duodenal ulcer (DU) have high basal (BAO) and peak (PAO) acid outputs. The effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on these variables is unclear. Aim-To discover if gastric acid hypersecretion in patients with DU is caused by H pylori. Patients and methods-BAO, gastrin releasing peptide (GRP), and pentagastrin stimulated PAO in 10 H pylori negative controls, and in 10 Hpylori positive patients with DU was measured before and six months after H pylori eradication. H pylori status was determined by histology, culture, and by the C-13-urea breath test. After collecting a 30 minute basal aspirate, GRP 40 pmol/kg/h was infused for 45 minutes, and after a 30 minute washout, pentagastrin 6 mu g/kg was injected intramuscularly. Results-Basal and stimulated acid output (PAO(GRP) and PAO(Pg)) were significantly higher in H pylori positive DU than in H pylori negative controls. Six months after H pylori eradication, basal and stimulated acid outputs were all significantly lower than before H pylori eradication. Conclusions-This study has shown that BAO, PAO(GRP), and PAO(Pg) are higher in H pylori positive DU than in H pylori negative controls. All decreased significantly six months after H pylori eradication, to fall within the range of controls. These results are compatible with a hypothesis that acid hypersecretion in duodenal ulcer disease is caused by H pylori infection.