Duodenal somatostatin in coeliac disease.

The frequency of duodenal somatostatin cells was assessed and correlated to the number of enterocytes in patients with coeliac disease and in patients with a normal duodenal mucosa. The concentration of somatostatin in the duodenal mucosa was also determined. The number of duodenal somatostatin cells was increased in coeliac disease, whereas the somatostatin concentration did not differ significantly from that of the control patients.