The Effect of Cigarette Smoking on Human Gastric Secretion

Abstract

Whitecross, D. P., Clarke, A. D. & Piper, D. W. The effect of cigarette smoking on human gastric secretion. Scand. J. Gastroent. 1974, 9, 399-403.

Smoking four cigarettes in one hour did not influence human gastric secretion as regards the output of acid, pepsin, and mucus. A similar lack of response was observed in peptic ulcer patients as in control subjects. Smoking increased biliary reflux. The tar and nicotine content of the cigarettes did not influence the gastric secretory response. These findings contrast with those of an identical study done 15 years previously when smoking was found to increase gastric acid secretion. This finding correlates with a recent clinical study where smoking had no effect on ulcer healing. It is considered that in clinical studies of ulcer healing the role of factors other than cigarette smoking must be excluded when the effect of the latter is studied; biliary reflux may influence the apparent secretory response to smoking.

Key-words::

• Cigarette smoking
• gastric secretion
• pepsin
• peptic ulcer