Secretin Release in Coeliac Disease

Abstract

Infusion of 40 ml 0.1 mol/l HCl into the duodenum in eight untreated coeliac patients was followed by an increase of the plasma immunoreactive secretin (IRS) concentration from 1.6 ± 0.2 pmol/l to a peak level of 2.4 ± 0.3 pmol/l (p < 0.05). After treatment with a gluten-free diet, the same patients showed an increase from 1.4 ± 0.3 pmol/l to a peak level of 5.5 ± 0.9 pmol/l after intraduodenal acid infusion, which was significantly higher than before treatment (p < 0.01). In control subjects, intraduodenal acid infusion was followed by an increase from 1.4 ± 0.2 pmol/l to 6.7 ± 1.1 pmol/l, which was significantly higher than in untreated coeliac disease (p < 0.01) but did not differ from what was found in treated coeliac patients. Significant differences in pH, volume, or bicarbonate content of the duodenal aspirates or the basal IRS levels were not found.