study of gastric acidity, mucus, serum gastrin and iron in post postach patients with chronic gastric affection

ABSTRACT

Gastric acidity, mucus, serum gastrin and iron were studied in fifteen post potash patients. Biopsies were obtained from the fundus and body of the stomach during the procedure of gastrostomy to prove corrosive gastric affection due to potash poisoning. The study included also fifteen volunteers as controls. The results indicated significant hypoacidity and decrease in gastric mucus in post potash patients compared to controls and this was attributed to gastric histopathological changes in the form of chronic inflammation, fibrosis and glandular distortion. On the other hand, serum gastrin was significantly higher in patients compared to controls and this increase might be due to hyperplasia of the antral G-cells and hypoacidity in those patients. Serum iron showed significant decrease level in post potash patients compared to controls and this was attributed to decrease in gastric absorption due to evidenced gastric histopathologic changes and hypoacidity in those patients