[Theoretical and practical implications of calcitonin therapy in gastroduodenal ulcer]

Calcitonin (CT) inhibits basal and pentagastrin stimulated gastric acid and pepsin secretion by 60 to 70% when CT is infused over a short period of time. Vagal and histamine-mediated stimulations are less diminished. A long-term infusion of CT inhibits persitently basal and pentagastrin-stimulated acid and pepsin secretion over more than 24 hours in patients with duodenal ulcer, stress bleeding and Zollinger-Ellison-Syndrome. To date, the therapeutic efficiency of CT in gastroduodenal bleeding has not been evaluated in a controlled trial. CT inhibits gastric secretion also after oral application. In an endoscopically controlled double blind trial we were not able to demonstrate a significant benefit of oral CT in patients with gastric ulcer. In ulcer bleeding CT does not apear reasonable in comparison with histamine-H2-receptor antagonists which apparently is more efficient and less costly.