Plasma beta-endorphin, bombesin and pancreatic polypeptide immunoreactivity in healthy subjects and ulcer patients and changes during treatment with pirenzepine.

Abstract

A lower level of BEI was demonstrated in duodenal ulcer patients in both acute and chronic cases (P less than 0.01). Treatment of patients with PI increases BEI up to values found in healthy subjects, in accordance with our previous findings (17). The basal level of BOI in ulcer patients did not differ from that in healthy subjects. A transient increase of BOI was recorded during the first phase after PI application, however, BOI decreased to basal levels at the end of the therapy (P less than 0.05). The basal PPI level was higher in both groups, primarily in acute ulcer patients (P less than 0.01). During the treatment with PI the PPI level slightly increased. Mathematical correlation between BEI and BOI, and BEI and PPI revealed a significant negative correlation (P less than 0.001). However, this correlation was found in healthy subjects only, indicating that healthy subjects with a high BEI level have lower BOI and PPI values and this relation depends on BEI. This dependence is absent in ulcer patients.