Abstract
A state of hypersecretinemia has been established in the human neonate, as well as the newborn swine. The etiology of this phenomenon remains unknown. The mean fasting serum secretin levels in 16 newborn swine were found to be 298.0 pg/ml (SD±18.8), significantly higher than those in the adult animal. Intraduodenal infusion of 0.1N HCl produced dramatic elevations of the serum secretin levels to 2090.5 pg/ml (SD±1360.4), whereas intraduodenal infusions of sugar and normal saline failed to produce statistically significant changes. Acetic acid extract of duodenal mucosa revealed secretin concentration of 1.82 gm/gm wet tissue weight, comparable to adult values, and ruling out increased tissue content as the etiology of hypersecretinemia. Only a single molecular species of tissue secretin, identical to that found in adult animals could be identified. The mean disappearance half-life of exogenously administered secretin determined in five newborn swine, was found to be 3.6 minutes, significantly prolonged when compared to values in adult swine. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that fasting and acid stimulated serum secretin levels are higher in the newborn than in the adult swine and that delayed secretin degradation can be implicated as a factor in the etiology. Whether a prolonged secretin half-life and not increased production is also responsible for the hypersecretinemia in the human neonate, requires further investigation.
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Moazam, F., Rodgers, B., Kolts, B. et al. 606 ETIOLOGY OF THE HYPERSECRETINEMIA IN THE NEWBORN ANIMAL. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 541 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00619
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00619