[Study of gastric APUD cells in gastroduodenal hemorrhage]

It was found that in patients with gastroduodenal hemorrhage the number of serotonin-, histamine-, and melatonin-producing apudocytes in the gastric mucosa increases while the number of cells producing gastrin, adrenaline, and noradrenaline reduces. In timely arrest of hemorrhage, the primarily increased number of melatonin-producing apudocytes diminishes with time from the onset of bleeding and reaches normal values gradually. The essential differences in the content of melatonin- and noradrenaline- producing apudocytes in patients with and without hemorrhage allow this morphological sign to be used as diagnostic and prognostic criteria in gastroduodenal hemorrhages.