Gastric ulcer is accompanied by a decrease of epidermal growth factor in gastric juice and saliva.

Numerous studies have indicated a role of epidermal growth factor in the maintenance of the gastrointestinal mucosa. In the present study epidermal growth factor concentrations in saliva and gastric juice of patients with gastric or duodenal ulcer or gastritis are compared with those of healthy controls. For this purpose a novel ELISA system has been developed and shown to be sensitive and specific. It is demonstrated that gastric juice and saliva of patients with gastric ulcer contain less epidermal growth factor than the samples of healthy controls (p less than 0.01). Epidermal growth factor concentrations and outputs (product of epidermal growth factor concentration and the volume secreted in 15 min) in the gastric juice of patients with duodenal ulcer do not differ from those of healthy controls.