Gastrin, secretin, VIP and motilin in children with mucoviscidosis and Crohn disease

The number of peptide hormones which have been localized in the gut and in neurons of the central and peripheral nervous system has increased considerably. As there is almost no information about their importance in children with gastrointestinal diseases, we developed highly sensitive radioimmunoassays and measured postprandial serum/plasma levels of gastrin, secretin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and motilin in 112 healthy children (N), 28 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and 17 children with Crohn's disease (CD). Gastrin values were not pathologic in children with CF nor those with Crohn's disease (N = 56.2 +/- 29.6 pg/ml; CF = 57.0 +/- 34.2 pg/ml; CD = 43.6 +/- 26.6 pg/ml). A significant age dependency was established for secretin and VIP. These peptides were elevated in CF-patients. In children with Crohn's disease only Secretin was increased. Motilin was elevated in all patients: N = 78.0 (49.1-124.0) pg/ml; CF = 148.0 (70.8-309) pg/ml; CD = 153.0 (87.6-266).