Clinical Nutrition

Lesson 9:Gastro intestinal tract diseases

Secretory studies

Secretion of acid in the stomach may be measured by passing a tube into the stomach and withdrawing the contents. These studies are usually carried out in the morning, before the patient has eaten any food.

The normal basal gastric acid secretion ranges between 0-6 meq/hour. The mean acid secretion in males is around 2.5 meq/ hour and in females it is 3 meq/ hour.

In patients with ulcer, any stimulation will lead to a hypersecretion up to 42 meq/ hour/ Presence of an ulcer in patients with achlorhydria indicates a malignant ulcer.