Differences in basal nocturnal, meal-stimulated, and pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretion values in a sample of healthy volunteers in basal conditions and under ranitidine influence

Abstract

The gastric secretion values from 16 healthy male volunteers are reported. A nasogastric tube was positioned in the gastric antrum and 10-min gastric secretion samples were obtained hourly by continuous suction. Basal nocuturnal, meal-stimulated, and pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion were measured. Experimental sessions were carried out in control conditions and repeated after a 7-day treatment with placebo and ranitidine (150 mg b.i.d.) in a double-blind procedure. We found six subjects (group I) with basal nocturnal, meal-stimulated, and pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretion values statistically lower than the rest of the group (group II). Basal nocturnal secretion mean values were 3.99 ± 6.6 mmol/L (group I) and 59.2 ± 22.1mmol/L (group II) ( p < 0.01). Meal-stimulated gastric acidity mean values were 33.1 + 17.3 mmol/L (group I) and 65.6 ± 30.6 mmol/L (group II) ( p < 0.05). Pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretion mean values were 8 ± 2 mmol/h (group I) and 19.2 ± 2.7 mmol/h (group II) ( p < 0.01). Ranitidine significantly inhibited basal nocturnal, meal-stimulated, and pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acidity values mostly in group II. These results suggest that there are two different patterns of gastric secretion in the healthy male population.