gastrins and Spinal-Cord-Injuries

The efficacy of cimetidine, 1.2 and 2.4 g/day, compared to placebo treatment given in addition to conventional therapy, which included antacids, in the prevention of gastroduodenal lesions associated with stress in 105 patients with acute spinal injury was investigated. Haematemesis was only observed in 1 placebo-treated patient. Of the 84 patients who completed the 10-day treatment and underwent endoscopy, 12 out of 43 cimetidine-treated patients and 11 out of 41 patients who received placebo were found to have gastroduodenal ulceration and/or erosions. Mean circulating concentrations of gastrin, pancreatic polypeptide and secretin were similar in all groups of patients. Whilst cimetidine has been shown to reduce the incidence of ulceration in patients suffering cranial and thermal injuries, the present study failed to demonstrate a prophylactic effect of cimetidine in the primary prevention of ulcers or erosions in patients with acute spinal injury exceeding that of conventional antacid therapy.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Cimetidine; Clinical Trials as Topic; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Gastrins; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pancreatic Polypeptide; Peptic Ulcer; Risk; Secretin; Spinal Cord Injuries; Stress, Physiological

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Chronic Disease; Female; Gastric Emptying; Gastrins; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Radionuclide Imaging; Spinal Cord Injuries; Stomach; Time Factors

A reproducible model of acute gastric stress ulceration has been described in the tetraplegic rat. The characteristics of the development of acute gastric ulceration and the concentrations of plasma gastrin have been examined. There was a significant increase in gastric stress ulceration within 4 h of producing the tetraplegia. The ulceration was confined to the glandular portion of the stomach and occurred equally on crests and rugal troughs. Plasma gastrin concentrations were not changed by spinal cord section. This characterized model can serve as a basis for further investigation of the aetiology and prophylaxis of acute gastric ulceration in quadriplegia.

Topics: Animals; Body Temperature; Disease Models, Animal; Erythrocyte Volume; Female; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrins; Male; Quadriplegia; Rats; Rats, Inbred WKY; Spinal Cord Injuries; Stomach Ulcer; Stress, Physiological

Heterogeneity is the most important consideration in the pathophysiology of peptic ulcer disease. Acute ulcers and erosions present clinically with gastrointestinal bleeding or perforation. If they heal there is no predictable recurrence. Factors concerned with mucosal defense are relatively more important than aggressive factors such as acid and pepsin. Local ischemia is the earliest recognizable gross lesion. The gastric mucosa is at least as vulnerable as the duodenal mucosa and probably more so. Most drug-induced ulcers occur in the stomach. Chronic or recurrent true peptic ulcers (penetrating the muscularis mucosae) usually present with abdominal pain. Many duodenal ulcer patients report that the pain occurs when the stomach is empty or is relieved by food, and follows a pattern of relatively long periods of freedom from symptoms between recurrences. Approximately 50% of patients experience a recurrence within a year if anti-ulcer medication is stopped. In most western countries recurrent duodenal ulcer is more common than gastric ulcer. Peptic ulcer disease is also more common in men. Recent evidence indicates genetic and familial factors in duodenal ulcer and increased acid-pepsin secretion in response to a variety of stimuli. However, it is also becoming clear that of all the abnormal functions noted, few are present in all subjects and many are clustered in subgroups. In chronic gastric ulcer of the corpus, defective defense mechanisms, such as duodenogastric reflux and atrophic gastritis, seem to be more important than aggressive factors. Nevertheless, antisecretory medications accelerate the healing of such ulcers. It remains to be seen whether prostaglandins, mucus secretion, or gastric mucosal blood flow are impaired in chronic ulcer disease.

Topics: Acute Disease; Animals; Burns; Chronic Disease; Duodenal Ulcer; Gastric Acid; Gastric Emptying; Gastrins; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa; Peptic Ulcer; Recurrence; Spinal Cord Injuries; Stomach Ulcer; Stress, Physiological

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Brain Injuries; Cattle; Craniocerebral Trauma; Gastrins; Humans; Male; Military Medicine; Rabbits; Radioimmunoassay; Spinal Cord Injuries; Stomach Ulcer; Stress, Psychological; Vietnam; Wounds and Injuries