[Morphobiophysical features of the duodenal mucosa in patients with duodenal ulcers]

Chronic duodenitis in patients with duodenal ulcer is characterized by substantial morphofunctional changes in the mucosa, decreased transmural potential difference and definite patterns of carbohydrate-containing biopolymer production, the initial changes being manifested as neutral glycoprotein hypersecretion with their subsequent diminished synthesis rates, followed by a more pronounced drop of sialo- and sulfoglycoprotein levels. A correlation was found between the severity of duodenitis, morphometric and histochemical parameters, and gastric pepsin secretion rates (hypersecretion). It is suggested that these changes are etiopathogenetically common.