Fasting and postprandial gastrin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in serum from 15 patients with renal failure and compared with those in 15 healthy controls. Pre- and posthemodialysis gastrin levels were also measured.
The fasting serum gastrin levels and serum gastrin response to a standard meal in the patients with renal failure were significantly higher than those in normal controls.
Fasting and meal stimulated gastrin levels were not significantly different in renal failure patients with peptic ulcer when compared with those in renal failure patients without peptic ulcer.
There were no statistically significant differences in the serum gastrin levels before and after hemodialysis in patients with renal failure.