Increased plasma noradrenaline and serum gastrin in patients with duodenal ulcer

Abstract

Serum gastrin, serum insulin, plasma noradrenaline [norepinephrine], plasma adrenaline [epinephrine], pulse rate and blood pressure were measured repeatedly during 24 h in 6 patients with duodenal ulcer and in 6 control subjects. Mean serum gastrin concentration was 3-4 times higher in duodenal ulcer patients than in controls during both the day and at night. Serum insulin was the same in both groups of subjects. Overnight fasting, mean supine plasma noradrenaline and mean supine pulse rate were significantly higher in duodenal ulcer patients than in controls. Plasma adrenaline and arterial blood pressure were the same in patients and controls. Sympathetic nervous activity is increased in patients with duodenal ulcer. The increased sympathetic nervous activity may mean that duodenal ulcer patients are subject to more stress than normal subjects or may be compensatory to increased vagal nervous activity presumed to be present in such patients.