Bombesin and G-17 dose responses in duodenal ulcer and controls.

Gastric acid and pepsin secretion and serum gastrin concentrations were measured in nine patients with uncomplicated duodenal ulcer (DU) and 10 normal controls in the fasting state and in response to graded doses of bombesin, a tetradecapeptide gastrin releaser, and, for reference, synthetic gastrin G-17. Serum gastrin with bombesin stimulation was significantly greater in duodenal ulcer (maximum 467 pg/ml) than in controls (153 pg/ml), while in seven of the DU group tested gastrin levels after a meal were not different from that seen in five of the normal controls. Gastric acid concentrations and outputs were greater in duodenal ulcer with both stimuli.

Pharmacology and clinical efficacy of ranitidine, a new H2-receptor antagonist.

Ranitidine is a new histamine H2-receptor antagonist that includes a furan ring structure, whereas other H2-receptor antagonists include an imidazole ring. It is more potent than cimetidine in inhibiting gastric acid secretion and lacks cimetidine's anti-androgenic and hepatic microsomal enzyme inhibiting effects. In the recommended dosage of 150 mg twice daily, ranitidine is as effective as cimetidine in healing duodenal and gastric ulcers and has the advantages of less frequent dosing and fewer side effects.

Prolonged inhibition of basal gastric acid secretion by calcitonin in man.

This study was performed to investigate the effect of prolonged (6-hour) infusions of salmon calcitonin on basal gastric acid secretion and serum gastrin and calcium levels in 9 normal volunteers. Three tests, during which gastric acid secretion was measured continuously for 8 hours, were performed on each subject. After 1 hour, calcitonin 2,5 or 5,0 micrograms/h or a saline placebo (in random order) was infused intravenously for 6 hours.

A suction-abrasive cytology tube for the diagnosis of esophageal carcinoma.

A simple, easily constructed, and inexpensive suction-abrasive cytology tube was developed to study esophageal cytology. The reliability of this method for the diagnosis of esophageal carcinoma was evaluated in 101 patients. Of 47 patients with esophageal carcinoma, 93% were diagnosed correctly on exfoliative cytology.