Gastric emptying and secretion in Zollinger Ellison syndrome

Abstract

Gastric emptying and secretion, as well as intragastric volume and composition, were determined simultaneously in three patients with Zollinger Ellison syndrome and in seven normal subjects. Gastric hypersecretion was observed in patients with Zollinger Ellison syndrome and in normal subjects receiving pentagastrin. In contrast, the fraction of gastric contents emptied per minute (fractional rate of emptying) was increased in Zollinger Ellison patients and unchanged or decreased in normal subjects receiving pentagastrin. The increased fractional rate of gastric emptying in patients with Zollinger Ellison syndrome persisted despite abolition of gastric hypersecretion by metiamide. Thus, the increased fractional gastric emptying seen in patients with Zollinger Ellison syndrome is not attributable to hypergastrinemia, or to gastric hypersecretion per se. Instead, it appears to be caused by an undefined nervous or humoral factor.