Gastric Secretion of Acid and Intrinsic Factor in Dermatitis Herpetiformis

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Abstract
Gastric acid and intrinsic factor secretion studies before and after penta-gastrin stimulation have been performed in 10 patients with dermatitis herpetiformis. Three patients had achlorhydria, and 6 had low gastric acid secretion. All but one had low secretion of intrinsic factor. Two patients had serum antibodies against gastric parietal cells. There was no correlation between the gastric abnormality and the patient's age, the intensity of the skin disease, the sulphone medication, or small-bowel mucosal structure. The only patient with normal gastric secretion also had the shortest duration of the skin disease. The ‘gastropathy’ in dermatitis herpetiformis further strengthens the similarity of its enteropathy to coeliac disease.