[Gastric acid and parotid secretion in obesity [greater than 55%] (author's transl)]

In order to investigate exocrine secretory activity in obesity we studied gastric acid and parotid secretion in 22 massively obese patients (greater than 55% overweight); 15 normal persons were taken as controls. Basal and stimulated secretory values were determined. Basal acid output (BAO) in the obese (4,10 +/- 3,8 mval/h) was higher compared to normal (1,98 +/- 1,59 mval/h); the amylase activity in parotid saliva was reduced in the obese means = 195 U/ml (93,8-406) compared to normal means = 307 U/ml (145-652). These differences were not statistically significant. Maximal acid output (MAO) in the obese was within the normal range 17,6 +/- 8,98 mval/h (norm 16-25) despite it was expected, in a weight related manner, to be in a strongly hypersecretory range.