Glucose-induced release of neurotensin after gastric surgery.

The plasma concentration of neurotensin was investigated in 15 patients and 6 healthy persons after oral administration of hypertonic glucose. 8 patients had total gastrectomy, 7 patients had partial gastrectomy of Billroth II type, and 6 nonoperated persons were used as controls. In the gastrectomized patients, the neurotensin concentration increased significantly from 2.0 (n.d.-7.4) pM to 62.4 (12.0-270) pM, in the B II resected patients from 0.9 (0.2-4.2) pM to 4.6 (0.9-59.2) pM. In the unoperated persons the corresponding neurotensin concentrations were 1.7 (0.9-3.4) and 2.2 (0.8-5.3) pM, which were not significantly different. No correlation between neurotensin concentration and dumping symptoms was seen.