Somatostatin levels in gastrointestinal disease

Serum levels of somatostatin were determined by RIA method in 50 patients with liver cirrhosis, 15 with pernicious anemia and atrophic gastritis, 31 with inflamatory bowel disease, 32 with colorectal tumors and in 40 control persons. In patients with liver cirrhosis somatostatin levels were significantly higher than in control group (p<0.01). Patients with pernicious anemia and ulcerative colitis in acute phase of the disease had significantly lower levels of somatostatin (p<0.01) (p<0.005). In patients with colorectal tumors somatostatin were significantly lower then in control group (p<0.01). Our results show that the liver is involved in somatostatin metabolism. Atrophic gastritis, ulcerative colitis and M. Crohn, so as colorectal neoplasia were associated with significantly changes in somatostatin levels which suggest the potential pathophysiologic and terapeutic role of somatostatin in those disease.