Diarrhea and Pancreatic Islet Cell Tumor

Motor responses of the human alimentary tract to near-maximal infusions of pentagastrin.

“…The present results are consistent with the hypothesis that diarrhoea in those patients with the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome who have hypersecretion of acid is caused by low intestinal pH (Singleton, Kern, and Waddell, 1965;Donaldson, Von Eigen, and Dwight, 1957;Summerskill, 1959), since we have been unable to show a direct motor effect on the colon in vivo and on the small intestine in vitro (Bennett et al, 1967). It may be, however, that very high blood levels of gastrin are present in this syndrome, and the possibility that direct motor effects of the hormone occur at higher concentrations cannot be excluded.…”