Gastric effects and side effects of synthetic secretin in man.

The gastric effects of synthetic secretin given in a depot preparation as subcutaneous injection or in different doses as intravenous infusion were studied in 10 healthy volunteers. Peptone-stimulated gastric acid secretion and serum gastrin were significantly suppressed with a clear dose-response inhibition of acid output. There was a significant correlation between percentage inhibition of acid secretion and plasma secretin concentrations which were greatly above those seen physiologically. Serum lipase and trypsin increased significantly. Most subjects lost fluid from diuresis and diarrhoea, so that serum sodium and total protein concentrations also increased significantly. These side effects cast doubt on the clinical value of prolonged infusions of pharmacological doses of synthetic secretion in critically ill patients.