Single Gastric Biopsy in Subjects with Low Acid Secretion after Maximal Histamine Stimulation

Examinations of 83 patients and 13 healthy subjects with the augmented histamine test and gastric biopsy show that a maximal acid secretion lower than 10 mEq HCl/hour signifies a diffuse gastritic lesion, the type of which can be verified by a single gastric biopsy. Detailed investigations of the nature and clinical course of gastritis, however, require repeated tests of gastric function and multiple gastric biopsies.