Gut hormone responses in subjects with a permanent ileostomy

The fasting and postprandial levels of insulin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide, gastrin, motilin, human pancreatic polypeptide, enteroglucagon and neurotensin have been measured in 10 subjects with a permanent ileostomy and in 10 healthy control subjects matched for age and sex. Most of the levels were similar in the two groups but the group that had undergone ileostomies had significantly raised basal motilin and postprandial neurotensin levels while the basal enteroglucagon levels were significantly low. The possible implications of these findings are discussed.