Surface hydrophobicity of gastric mucosa in peptic ulcer disease. Relationship to gastritis and Campylobacter pylori infection.

The hydrophobicity of biopsy specimens of gastric mucosa in 228 dyspeptic subjects undergoing diagnostic endoscopy was assessed by measuring the plateau-advancing contact angle of saline drops using a goniometer. Subjects with duodenal ulcers (n = 49) and gastric ulcers (n = 17) had significantly lower mean contact angles than controls (n = 124) without ulcer (57 degrees in duodenal ulcer, 59 degrees in gastric ulcer vs. 66 degrees in controls; p less than 0.0001). There was no change in contact angle after healing with H2-receptor antagonists by comparison with pretreatment (59 degrees vs. 56 degrees for duodenal ulcer, n = 15; 57 degrees vs. 59 degrees for gastric ulcer, n = 5). Controls with gastritis had lower contact angles than those without (61 degrees, n = 50, vs. 70 degrees, n = 63; p less than 0.0001). The presence of Campylobacter pylori was associated with a significant decrease in contact angle in controls (59 degrees, n = 39, vs. 70 degrees, n = 75; p less than 0.0001).