Acid and pepsin secretion in chronic Chagas' disease patients in response to graded doses of pentagastrin and pentagastrin plus bethanecol.

Gastric acid and pepsin secretory responses to graded doses of pentagastrin were measured in 12 Chagas' disease patients and 18 control subjects, and in 7 Chagas' disease patients and 6 controls the study was repeated with an infusion of bethanecol. Calculated maximal outputs of acid and pepsin (Vmax) and responsiveness (D50) of the acid- and pepsin-secreting cells to pentagastrin were lower in the chagasics. Bethanecol had no significant effect on pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretions in controls. The impairment of responsiveness of the gastric secretory cells in Chagas' disease patients was fully corrected by bethanecol.