Platelet serotonin uptake in duodenal ulcer patients

Platelet serotonin uptake was measured in 10 duodenal ulcer patients and 10 controls by determining the concentration of radioactivity in platelets after incubation with tritium-labelled serotonin binoxalate. Platelet 5-HT uptake in ulcer patients (312.0 +/- 125.0 CPM/10(7) platelets) was significantly higher than that in the control group (186.0 +/- 53.0 CPM/10(7) platelets; p < 0.01). Since the kinetics of 5-HT uptake by platelets may be a reflector of enhanced serotonergic activity, this finding may have implications in future therapeutic strategies for this disease.