[A procedure for determining the proteolytic activity of biological substrates at various pH values].

The proteolytic activity of biosubstrates and biological fluids at different pH values was determined in the third trimester of pregnancy and at labor. The nature of their proteolytic activity was specified for each biological fluid and it can be associated with pepsin or other proteases.

Epidemiology of chronic atrophic gastritis: population-based study among 9444 older adults from Germany.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological data on chronic atrophic gastritis from general population samples are sparse in Germany. AIM: To assess prevalence of chronic atrophic gastritis according to potential risk factors and clinical outcomes in a large-scale population-based study. METHODS: In the baseline examination of ESTHER, a population-based cohort study conducted in Germany, serological measurements of pepsinogen (PG) I and II and Helicobacter pylori antibodies were taken in 9444 women and men aged 50-74 years. Information on potential risk factors and medical history were obtained by questionnaire. RESULTS: With the definition used in the EUROGAST study (PG I < 25 ng/mL), prevalence of chronic atrophic gastritis increased from 4.8% in age group 50-54 to 8.7% in age group 70-74. An alternative definition of chronic atrophic gastritis (PG I < 70 ng/mL and PG I/PG II < 3), used in multiple studies from Japan, revealed a greater increase with age (from 2.7% to 9.1%) and a strong association with H. pylori infection (adjusted odds ratio: 2.9, 95% confidence interval: 2.4-3.7). With both definitions, a strong inverse association with heartburn was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Overall chronic atrophic gastritis prevalence is low among older adults in Germany, but it strongly increases with age and H. pylori infection.

[The functional status of the human stomach in the course of the experiment with antiorthostatic hypokinesia of 4 months duration].

The paper deals with type of changes in gastroduodenal organs associated with hypersecretion of the stomach induced by simulation of some effects of microgravity. Subjects in the investigation were 13 males volunteered for a 4-month bedrest study. Biochemical changes in blood, urine and gastric juices were analyzed in comparison with ultrasonic images of the gastroduodenum organs and data of stomach and duodenum endoscopy. The investigations showed increased blood and urine levels of pepsinogen indicative of gastric hypersecretion characterized by more intensive secretion of gastric juices, lowered pH, elevated pyloric tone, activation of duodenal secretion and cholepoiesis. Gastric hypersecretion was concomittant to the development of plethora in the abdominal veins. The highest gastric secretion was observed after two months of bed rest. Further bed rest extension was marked by fading of the signs of hypersecretion by the stomach and appearance of some signs of chronic stress. Our results expand the knowledge of changes in the gastroduodenal organs during bed rest, space flights and other conditions provocative of the hypersecretory transformation of the stomach.

[The prenatal manifestations of peptic gastroduodenal diseases]. / Prenatal'nye proiavleniia pepticheskikh gastroduodenal'nykh zabolevanii.

Proteolytic activity of uropepsinogen as a marker of gastroduodenal diseases of peptic character was studied in 92 children aged 7-9 years and it was analyzed in parallel with specific features of their mothers' pregnancy. The findings obtained and literature data show that the genotypical features of the fetus can play a certain role in genesis of the specific course of the mothers' pregnancy and manifest themselves phenotypically via the elevated level of uropepsinogen proteolytic activity in the children at the age of 7-9 years with possible formation of gastroduodenal diseases in them.

Factor de crecimiento epidérmico en orina y pepsinogeno I serico en pacientes ulcerosos duodenales / Urinary epidermic growth factor and serum pepsinogen I in duodenal ulcer patients

Se determinaron los valores urinarios del Factor de Crecimiento Epidérmico (FCE) absolutos y corregidos por la excreción de creatinina en 23 ulcerosos duodenales y se compararon con un grupo control. En los pacientes se dosificaron valores basales de Pepsinógeno I sérico. Los valores absolutos de FCE urinario de los ulcerosos fueron más bajos que los controles, pero tal diferencia ni la de FCE corregido por la excreción urinaria de creatinina fueron estadísticamente significativas (p > 0,05). La excreción absoluta de FCE de los ulcerosos varones fue mayor que en las damas (p<0,05), pero al establecer la relación FCE/Creatinina, la diferencia desapareció. No hubo correlación entre FCE y Pepsinógeno I, fue inversa con la edad y positiva con la excreción de creatinina. Varios mecanismos se plantean para explicar la normalidad urinaria del FCE en estos pacientes. La importancia creciente que se da al FCE en enfermedad ulcerosa y ulteriores investigaciones, son analizadas

Polimorfismo genético del pepsinógeno A urinario en la provincia de Villa Clara (Cuba) / Genetic polymorphism of urinary pepsinogen A in Villa Clara Province (Cuba)

Los patrones electroforéticos del pepsinógeno A (PGA) se determinaron en una muestra de 401 orinas de niños sanos de la raza blanca. En nuestro estudio sólo se consideró la presencia o ausencia del fenotipo electroforético 5 (Pg5) y se señaló como Pg5+ o como Pg5, respectivamente. Dicha isoproteína está determinada por el gen D, la cual se comporta como un carácter autosómico dominante. Las frecuencias fenotípicas encontradas fueron: Pg5+ = ,850 y Pg5 = ,150. La frecuencia génica calculada para el alelo D es de ,613. Debido a la asociación entre el cáncer del estómago y el fenotipo Pg5+, el mismo pudiera definir un grupo de riesgo en nuestra población