SERUM PEPSINOGEN IN THE DIFFERENTIATION OF MEGALOBLASTIC ANAEMIA.

Serum pepsinogen levels have been compared in 40 patients with severe megaloblastic anaemia with those obtained from 62 normal subjects, and with levels in 20 patients with pernicious anaemia in remission, 46 patients with iron-deficiency anaemia, and 18 patients with a duodenal ulcer. The range in the normal subjects was 55 to 482 units per ml. It is suggested that a level of below 90 units per ml. should be regarded as indicative of gastric atrophy. It was found to be of value in the early differential diagnosis of severe megaloblastic anaemia. The estimation was found to be reproducible and can be carried out in a routine hospital laboratory.