Original Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1997. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 15, 1997; 3(1): 31-34
Published online Mar 15, 1997. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v3.i1.31
Reduced secretion of epidermal growth factor in duodenal ulcer patients with Helicobacter pylori infection
Xue-Qing Chen, Wan-Dai Zhang, Bo Jiang, Yu-Gang Song, Ri-Zi Reng, Dian-Yuan Zhou
Xue-Qing Chen, Wan-Dai Zhang, Bo Jiang, Yu-Gang Song, Ri-Zi Reng, Dian-Yuan Zhou, PLA Institute for Digestive Diseases and Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Gangzhou 510515, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Xue-Qing Chen, MD, PLA Institute for Digestive Diseases and Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Gangzhou 510515, Guangdong Province, China
Telephone: +86-20-87705577-3017 Fax: +86-20-87705671
Received: July 13, 1996
Revised: October 1, 1996
Accepted: January 1, 1997
Published online: March 15, 1997
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the concentration changes of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in duodenal ulcer patients with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

METHODS: Immunoreactive concentration of somatostatin, gastrin and epidermal growth factor of gastric and saliva juice in healthy volunteers, and chronic gastritis and duodenal ulcer patients with H. pylori infection were measured by radioimmunoassay.

RESULTS: Gastrin concentration of gastric juice in H. pylori-positive chronic gastritis (P > 0.05) and duodenal ulcer patients (P < 0.01) was higher than that of healthy volunteers (P < 0.05), whereas som atostatin concentration of gastric juice in chronic gastritis (P < 0.05) and duodenal ulcer patients (P < 0.01) was lower than that in healthy volunteers. Furthermore, EGF levels of gastric and saliva juice in duodenal ulcer patients with H. pylori infection (n = 10, 272.0 ng/L ± 96.3 ng/L and 8.3 ng/L ± 2.4 ng/L, respectively) were significantly lower than that in healthy volunteers (n = 12, 405.6 ng/L ± 35.6 ng/mL and 22.0 ng/L ± 17.0 ng/L, respectively) and in H. pylori-positive chronic gastritis patients (n = 25, 423.0 ng/L ± 104.0 ng/L and 22.0 ng/L ± 11.1 ng/L, respectively (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: A lower secretion of EGF may be a causative factor in the pathogenesis of H. pylori-positive duodenal ulcer.

Keywords: Duodenal ulcer; Helicobacter pylori; Gastritis epidermal growth factor; Gastrins; Somatostatin