Laboratory Medicine Program

Gastrin

Clinical Decription:
Patients with duodenal ulcer who have not had ulcer surgery may have normal fasting serum gastrin values. Following antrectomy or antrectomy plus vagotomy, the values remain in the normal range, while they may increase moderately after vagotomy without antrectomy. Patients with low rates of gastric acid secretion including most patients with pernicious anemia and atrophic gastritis and many patients with gastric cancer and gastric ulcer, typically have increased gastrin levels. Hypergastrinemia is found in patients taking the H2 receptor antagonist cimetidine, patients with antral distention secondary to pyloric obstruction, patients who have previously indergone vagotomy and patients with retained antrum. The two most important causes of hyper- gastrinrmia are antral G- cell hyperplasiaand Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Method: Referred Out

Component Tests Used: n/a

Reference Ranges Used:
Fasting: <100 ng/L

Specimen Type: serum
Volume: 5 mL (minimum: 5 mL)

Shipping: Frozen at -20C

Special Instructions: Fasting for 12 hours required. (If non-fasting, must be stated). Send sample to core lab on Ice . Spin using the cold centrifuge and aliquot sample.

Testing Schedule(s): every 10 days.

Turnaround Time: 7-10 days

For more information, call 416.340.5227 or 1.866.865.5227