Effects of food on plasma catecholamine and gastrin levels in patients with duodenal ulcer and normal volunteers.

Abstract

Changes in plasma concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine and gastrin in response to a standard meal were studied in 6 normal volunteers and 8 patients with chronic duodenal ulcer (DU) disease. Before the meal plasma gastrin and noradrenaline, but not adrenaline or dopamine, were higher in DU patients than in the controls. Food induced significant increments in plasma gastrin and noradrenaline concentration in both groups, whereas plasma adrenaline and dopamine levels remained unchanged. Plasma gastrin and noradrenaline concentrations were higher in DU patients than in the normal controls both during and after the meal. The results do not support the hypothesis that adrenaline is involved in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcer disease, whereas the role of the increased plasma noradrenaline concentrations in this disease remains unclear.