Abundance of VIP in duodenal mucosa of coeliacs and duodenal ulcer patients.

VIP levels were determined in gastroduodenal mucosal biopsies of 8 duodenal ulcer patients, of 5 coeliac sprue patients, and of 8 volunteers without upper gastrointestinal disease. In duodenal ulcer patients, mucosal VIP concentrations were significantly elevated in the proximal duodenum (e.g., in the duodenal bulb 225 +/- 48 versus 95 +/- 17 pmol/g in controls), while in coeliac sprue VIP levels tended to be increased in the whole duodenum and upper jejunum (e.g., descending duodenum 409 +/- 161 versus 81 +/- 16, p less than 0.05). In both disease entities, the rise in mucosal VIP may be a reaction of the peptidergic nervous system to chronic mucosal irritation and a reason for enhanced fluid and electrolyte secretion in the affected areas.