Levels of nitrite, nitrate, N-nitroso compounds, ascorbic acid and total bile acids in gastric juice of patients with and without precancerous conditions of the stomach
To determine the relevance of gastric juice factors to gastric carcinogenesis, 56 patients with unoperated stomachs undergoing endoscopy for dyspepsia had gastric juice aspirated and analysed for pH, ascorbic acid, total bile acids, nitrite, nitrate and total nitroso compounds (NOCs). Plasma was obtained for vitamin C estimation. Antral and body biopsies were assessed for gastritis, Helicobacter pylori, atrophy and intestinal metaplasia (IM). Patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (n=17) had lower gastric juice ascorbic acid concentrations (PPH.pylori infection (Pn=12). Patients with reflux gastritis (n=9) had higher total bile acids (P< 0.01). Patients with chronic gastritis and IM (n=11) had higher gastric juice pH (PPPn=24). In chronic gastritis, high nitrite concentrations were associated with high pH (PH.pylonri infection, low gastric ascorbic acid levels and elevated total bile acids, but not to elevation in nitrite or total NOCs in fasting gastric juice.