Simultaneous Measurement of In Vitro Gastroduodenal Prostaglandin E₂ Synthesis and Degradation in Peptic Ulcer Disease

Abstract

The ability of mucosal specimens from the stomach and duodenum to synthesize and degrade prostaglandin E₂ has been determined in normal subjects and peptic ulcer patients. Significant reduction in fundic PGE₂ synthesis capacity was observed in gastric ulcer patients. There was also significant reduction in the PGE₂ degradation capacity of antral, fundic, and duodenal mucosal specimens in gastric ulcer patients. Patients with gastritis showed significant elevation of both antral and fundic PGE₂ synthesis capacity compared with normal but no alteration in PGE₂ degradation. No differences were observed in PGE₂ synthesis and degradation rates in patients with duodenal ulcer. The results argue in favour of an association between impairment of PGE₂ metabolism in the mucosa of patients with gastric but not duodenal ulceration.

Key Words:

• Gastritis
• peptic ulcer
• duodenal
• peptic ulcer
• gastric
• prostaglandin