[Diagnostic significance of gastrointestinal hormones]

Determination of gastrointestinal hormones by radioimmunoassay in plasma is important for detection of endocrine-active tumours in the gut. Since in most cases multiple endocrine tumours occur, a variety of hormones such as gastrin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, glucagon, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide and neurotensin should be measured. Gastrin is helpful as a diagnostic tool in differentiating between Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and antral G-cell hyperplasia or hyperfunction. Autonomic neuropathy of the gut (as in diabetics) can be detected by measurements of plasma pancreatic polypeptide. The diagnostic value of measurements of plasma cholecystokinin, secretin and other gut peptide hormones is not yet defined.