The relationship between acid secretion after augmented histamine stimulation and the histology of the gastric mucosa

Augmented histamine tests and gastric mucosal biopsies were performed on 97 patients. The amount of acid secreted was closely correlated with the histological appearances of the gastric mucosa. There was a striking difference between the acid secretion of patients with normal biopsies and patients with superficial gastritis. Achlorhydria was not present in patients with normal biopsies. An occasional patient with gastric atrophy will be found to secrete small amounts of acid.