The stomach in tropical sprue.

Abstract

Patients with sprue show marked depression of acid secretion and varying degrees of gastritis; damage may be so severe as to produce gastric atrophy, achlorhydria and depression of intrinsic factor secretion such as is seen in pernicious anemia. Fe-deficiency alone does not cause chronic gastritis and achlorhydria. There was no relation between the gastric lesion and presence or severity of anemia, jejunal biopsy findings or dysfunction of the small intestine. Etiology is discussed.