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Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Measurement and Analysis of Extracellular Acid Production to Determine Glycolytic Rate
Published on: December 12, 2015
Quantitative relation between gastric acid secretion and changes in urinary acid excretion.
C D Johnson1, P A Harris, C Wastell
1Department of Surgery, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, St Stephen's Hospital, London.
Urine acidity changes correlate with gastric acid secretion in normal subjects and after vagotomy. While not predictive, urinary acidity may help screen patients for persistent high gastric acid response post-surgery.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Urology
Background:
- Gastric acid secretion is crucial for digestion.
- Alkalinisation of urine can be influenced by systemic acid-base balance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between gastric acid secretion and urine alkalinisation.
- To assess the potential of urine acidity as a non-invasive marker for gastric function.
Main Methods:
- Standard pentagastrin and sham feeding tests were performed on healthy subjects.
- Urine samples were collected pre- and post-stimulation to measure titratable acidity.
- Tests were also conducted on patients post-vagotomy for duodenal ulcer.
Main Results:
- Significant inverse correlation found between gastric acid response and urine acidity changes (r = -0.79).
- A similar correlation was observed with urine acid output after a test meal (r = -0.73).
- Clear differentiation in results between normal subjects and post-vagotomy patients was observed.
Conclusions:
- Changes in urine acidity correlate with gastric acid secretion.
- Urinary acidity may serve as a useful screening tool to identify patients with persistent high gastric acid response after vagotomy.
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