[Secretory function of the stomach in workers employed at petroleum prospecting]

A group of 100 petroleum miners exposed to noise and vibration at intensities surpassing admissible standards, were subjected to a study. In the subjects basic and maximum posthistamine gastric secretion was evaluated, then stomach and duodenum were examined radiologically. Peptic ulcer was diagnosed in 10% examined, i.e., a percentage resembling the highest home data. It was found that mean values of maximum posthistamine secretion decreased with age. No influence of length of employment or accompanying chronic effect of noise, vibration and bad living conditions upon gastric secretion values (BAO and MAO), was found. Neither found one differences in the rate of occurrence of peptic ulcer and gastric secretion disturbances between the group of persons with diagnosed occupational diseases (vibration disease and occupational hearing impairment) and the group of the remaining subjects. Instead a significantly negative correlation between the age of workers with occupational hearing impairment and BAO and MAO values was observed.