Fasting serum gastrin values in normal Chinese children

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Serum gastrin plays a crucial role in gastrointestinal physiology.
• Establishing reference ranges for serum gastrin in pediatric populations is essential for accurate diagnosis and monitoring.
• Previous studies have indicated variations in gastrin levels during early development, but specific data for Chinese children are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish reference ranges for serum gastrin in healthy Chinese children from birth to 14 years.
• To describe the developmental pattern of serum gastrin levels during infancy and childhood.
• To compare pediatric gastrin levels with adult reference ranges.

Main Methods:

• Radioimmunoassay was used to measure fasting serum gastrin levels.
• A cohort of 362 healthy Chinese infants and children, aged from newborns to 14 years, was recruited.
• Serum samples were collected and analyzed under controlled conditions.

Main Results:

• Mean serum gastrin levels in cord blood and newborns were significantly higher than adult controls.
• The highest mean gastrin level (179.86 +/- 94.61 pg/ml) was observed on the third day of life, indicating physiologic hypergastrinemia.
• Gastrin levels gradually decreased, reaching adult levels (40-45 pg/ml) around two years of age.

Conclusions:

• This study provides crucial reference ranges for serum gastrin in Chinese children.
• Physiologic hypergastrinemia is a normal finding in the neonatal period.
• Serum gastrin levels exhibit a distinct developmental pattern, declining from infancy to reach adult levels by early childhood.