Change of the serum pepsinogen in elderly patients with gastric diseases

Objective To investigate the serum pepsinogen(PG) changes in the gastric diseases.Methods The serum PG Ⅰ and PGⅡ of 306 old patients were determined by IRMA(immunoradiometric assay).The gastroscopy check was performed in 306 elderly patients in Beijing Friendship Hospital.The ratio of PGⅠ/PGⅡ(PGR) was calculated.The patients were grouped by the pathologic diagnosis:(1) non-atrophic gastritis group of 40 cases;(2)chronic atrophic gastritis group of 95 cases;(3) peptic ulcer group of 105 cases;(4) gastric cancer group of 66 cases.Results(1)The serum level of PGⅠ and PGR in the non-atrophic gastritis group were 150.17±63.51 μg/L,10.44±3.42 respectively;(2)The serum level of PGⅠ(118.81±40.99 μg/L) and PGR(7.11±2.99) in the chronic atrophic gastritis patients were obviously lower(P0.05);(3)The serum level of PGⅠ(95.39±22.80 μg/L) and PGR(5.86±3.87) in the gastric cancer patients were obviously lower(P0.01);(4)The serum levels of PGⅠ(175.29±33.69 μg/L) and PGⅡ(21.81±8.91 μg/L) in the peptic ulcer patients were obviously higher(P0.05).Conclusions The low serum PGⅠ level and PGR may indicate the severe gastric diseases,such as the the precancerous conditions and the early gastric cancer.Patients with abnomal serum pepsinogen levels should undergo gastroscopy examination in time.