Lower esophageal sphincter responses to enteric hormones in two patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

The effect of exogenous glucagon and secretin on resting lower esophageal sphincter (LES) tone during endogenous hypergastrinemia was studied in 2 patients with proven Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (ZES). Intravenous glucagon and in one patient secretin, in dosages which decrease LES pressure in normals during LES stimulation by exogenous gastrin, caused a decrease in resting LES pressure in the ZES patients. This drop in LES tone occurred both during concomitant serum gastrin rise caused by secretin and serum gastrin decline caused by glucagon. This finding suggests that the action of secretin on LES pressure may be independent on endogenous gastrin, while the glucagon effect on LES tone may be mediated through gastrin.