Effect of antral instillation of bile salts on fasting serum gastrin levels

Abstract

There have been several reports that bile salts instilled into a dog's alkalinized antral pouch cause acid secretion in a denervated fundic pouch. Antral gastrin release was assumed, but serum gastrin levels were not measured. In a randomized crossover study, serum gastrin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay during the infusion of a solution of bile salts (5 mM, pH 5.5, 280 mOsm, 37° C), or an identical saline solution without bile salts, into the pH-controlled (5.5), antrum of 8 volunteers. The mean baseline serum gastrin level (±se) was 18.7±1.0 and 20.5±0.9 pg/ml for the bile salt and control periods, respectively (NS). The serum gastrin rose promptly after bile salt infusion, but not after saline. The mean (±se) integrated gastrin response was 81±17 pg · min/ml during the bile salt infusions, but essentially zero (−3.3±22 pg · min/ml) during control infusions (P<0.02). The 40% rise in serum gastrin in the initial 15-min bile salt period was higher than in the control period (P=0.016). Thus we have shown, for the first time an increase in serum gastrin during the antral instillation of bile salts in man. The potential physiologic and/or patholgic importance of this finding has not been established.