Stimulation of pancreatic secretion of enzymes by acute hypercalcaemia in man.

Abstract

Abstract. Acute hypercalcaemia was induced by infusion of 0.5 mEq calcium (as calcium gluconate) per kg body weight per hour. Its effect on fluid production and on concentration and output of bicarbonate, lipase, chymotrypsin, trypsin and calcium in the duodenal juice was studied in two groups of normal subjects. In group I (n = 7) the pancreas was stimulated with 0.25 clinical units of pure natural secretin per kg body weight per hour, and in group II (n=13) with one clinical unit/kg/h. The calcium infusion was superimposed after 60 minutes, and the experiment concluded 45 minutes later with a single injection of one clinical unit of pancreozymin per kg body weight. Hypercalcaemia had no effect on the secretion of fluid or bicarbonate in group I. In group II, studied with a high dose of secretin, hypercalcaemia led to an increased production of fluid but not of bicarbonate. Hypercalcaemia stimulated significantly the output of enzymes by a factor of 2–3, independently of the secretin‐stimulated flow‐rate of the juice. Output of calcium was also significantly higher in the hypercalcaemia state than in the secretin period. The stimulatory action of calcium on the pancreatic secretion of enzymes is interpreted by analogy to the known effects of hypercalcaemia on gastric secretion in man.