Sleep Patterns and Gastric Acid Secretion in Duodenal Ulcer Disease

Five normal volunteers and five patients with duodenal ulcer (DU) disease were studied for five consecutive nights. All subjects underwent placement of a nasogastric tube, continuous collection of gastric juice, and continuous electroencephalographic monitoring of sleep. Gastric juice was collected in 20-minute samples by remote suction (Gomco). Blood samples were drawn every 20 minutes on the third night via an indwelling venous needle. Results showed no significant correlations between the sleep variables and the gastric acid secretion measures or between the sleep variables and serum gastrin levels. Acid secretion decreased from hour 1 to hour 2 in controls and in patients with inactive DU disease, while it increased in patients with active DU disease. Each subject had at least one night of recording in which continuous gastric secretion was less than 0.1 mEq per 20-minute sample. It appears unlikely that the gastric discomfort of DU patients can be attributed to acid hypersecretion triggered by rapid eye movement sleep.(Arch Intern Med 136:655-660, 1976)