Basal and maximal acid output in chronic duodenal ulcer patients needing surgery

Basal acid output (BAO) and maximal acid output (MAO) were studied in a group of duodenal ulcer patients needing surgical treatment and in a group of healthy control subjects. The MAO levels in both the patients and the controls were lower than those reported from Europe, North America or Hongkong but were similar to those from India. The BAO levels were similar to those observed by workers in other countries. The MAO levels of the duodenal ulcer patients were much higher than those of the control subjects and there was hardly any overlap between the two groups. The ulcer patients had levels of greater than 15.0 mmol/hour. Whether duodenal ulcer patients from Bangladesh with MAO values of over 15.0 mmol/hour will always need surgery remains to be studied.