[Effect of calcitonin on gastric emptying after isotope-labeled solid meal in patients with stomach ulcer].

The effect of calcitonin on gastric emptying of a radiolabelled test meal was examined in 8 male patients with active gastric ulcer. The patients ate the test meal twice, whilst during one of the examinations they were given synthetic salmon calcitonin (415 pmol i.v. bolus + continuous infusion during 90 min to reach an overall dose of 62.25 pmol.kg-1 body mass) and during the other one they received placebo--in randomized order, according to a double-blind study protocol. In every patient a pronounced delay in gastric emptying after calcitonin was observed --the emptying index, Ix: 2.33 +/- 0.22 x 10(-2) min-1 (placebo) vs 0.81 +/- 0.18 x 10(-2) min-1 (calcitonin), p less than 0.001. Calcitonin delayed and significantly lowered the postprandial gastrin release, as well as suppressed the postprandial insulin release with a secondary change in the serum glucose concentration pattern, whereas the serum calcium and phosphorus remained unaffected. The authors conclude that salmon calcitonin in a pharmacological dose elicits a strong inhibitory effect on gastric emptying in gastric ulcer patients.