Disturbances of mineral and bone metabolism following gastric antrectomy in the rat.

In antrectomized (B-I) and control rats, bone mineralization, the fractional intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, the balances of these minerals, their serum concentration and renal excretion, together with serum gastrin, calciotropic hormones (parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D), and osteocalcin were assessed four months after surgery. B-I evoked hypogastrinemia, but no changes in the serum concentrations of minerals and calciotropic hormones, or urinary cyclic AMP. The major significant changes brought about by B-I were: (1) a decrease in bone dry weight, specific density, bone ash calcium and magnesium content; (2) a decrease in the fractional absorption and urinary excretion of calcium and magnesium; (3) an increase in urinary hydroxyproline and serum osteocalcin in the presence of normal serum bone isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase. It is concluded that in the rat (1) B-I over the long term decreases both bone mineral content and calcium and magnesium absorption, in the absence of any counterregulation; (2) B-I rats may have attained a new equilibrium which is characterized by decreased absorption and urinary excretion of calcium and magnesium, but maintenance of normocalcemia at the expense of bone; (3) the concomitant changes of serum bone markers are contradictory, which makes their interpretation and use in the present context difficult.