Clinical Significance Of Serum Pepsinogenâ… and â…¡and Gastrin-17 In Patients With Functional Dyspepsia

AIMTo investigate the clinical significance of serum pepsinogen (PG) I and II and gastrin-17(G-17) in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD).MethodsA case-control study was performed.Two hundreds and twenty-nine FD patients recruited were diagnosed according to Rome III criteria. Serum PG I and II and G-17 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The PG I/II ratio (PGR) was calculated. Serum IgG antibody against Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) was determined by ELISA to evaluate H pylori infection.ResultsIn FD patients, the PGR was lower in the≥61 age group than in the≤40 age group (P=0.049). The levels of serum PG II and G-17 were significantly higher in FD patients than in normal controls (both P=0.000), while the PGR was significantly lower in FD patients than in normal controls (P=0.000). No significant difference was noted in serum PG I level between FD patients and normal controls (P=0.067). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off points of PGⅡand G-17 values for the diagnosis of FD were 13.2μg/L (sensitivity 52.8%, specificity 100%, and accuracy 67.5%) and 6.84 pmol/L (sensitivity 52.8%, specificity 100%, and accuracy 67.5%), respectively. The levels of serum PG I and PGⅡwere significantly higher in male FD patients than in female ones (P=0.003 and 0.004, respectively). The positive rate of serum IgG antibody against H pylori was higher in FD patients than in normal controls (P=0.028). ConclusionThe levels of serum PGII and G-17 are elevated in FD patients, which may suggest functional changes in gastric sinus and proximal duodenal mucosa. There is an association between FD and H pylori infection.