Gut hormones in tropical malabsorption.

Concentrations of various gut hormones were measured after a test breakfast in eight patients with severe tropical malabsorption and 12 controls. The patients with tropical malabsorption had greatly raised basal plasma motilin and enteroglucagon concentrations, but their postprandial release of both gastric inhibitory polypeptide and insulin was significantly reduced. The pattern of gut hormone release differed from that found in coeliac disease. The measurement of gut hormones, each of which has a specific site and function, thus throws new light on the pathophysiology of tropical malabsorption and may suggest approaches of treatment.