[Comparison of 24-hour gastric pH in control subjects, in patients with duodenal ulcer and in patients with atrophic gastritis].

: Twenty four hour intragastric acidity was measured by continuous recording using intragastric glass electrodes in 16 controls, 18 inactive duodenal ulcer patients and 7 patients suffering from atrophic gastritis. Medians pH for the 24h period, for the 8 AM-8 PM period, for the 8 AM-8 PM period were significantly lower in duodenal ulcer patients than in controls (1.19 vs 1.78; 1.17 vs 2.05; 1.27 vs 1.64). Median pH for these three periods were significantly higher in patients suffering from atrophic gastritis than in controls (3.90; 3.72; 3.81). In duodenal ulcer patients, 33 p 100 had medians for the 24h period higher than the lower quartile value of the control group. During the night (24h-3h) duodenal ulcer patients had median pH (1.03) significantly lower than controls (1.51). Antisecretory treatment should be directed to decrease this period of unbuffered acidity.