OBJECTIVES. This work was designed to study melatonin (M) production levels in duodenal ulcer (DU) patients in the exacerbation and remission stages and in DU patients with a different course of DU in the exacerbation and remission stages.
Methods: DU patients (15 men aged 20 to 45, mean age 34,2 +/- 1,1 years) were studied. The control group included 11 healthy volunteers (men aged 20-45, mean age 32,5 +/- 1,4 years). M was measured by RIA-method using H(3)-labeled M in daily urine collected at 3-hour intervals (8 portions per day). Mathematical processing was carried out using ANOVA, Student's t-test, and cosinor analysis. Differences at p< or = 0,05 were considered to be significant.
Results: A strong disturbance of M secretion in DU patients both in the exacerbation and remission stages and a direct correlation between the degree of M production disturbance and severity of clinical course of DU were revealed.
Conclusion: The obtained results suggest that circadian rhythms of M production are altered in DU patients. M was supposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of DU.